


The Witch of the Elemental Nations

by Regenboogpanda



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Naruto
Genre: Anbu Hatake Kakashi, Anbu Shiranui Genma, Anbu Yamato | Tenzou, F/M, Getting to Know Each Other, Grieving Hermione, Hermione and Kakashi are the same age, Horny Teenagers, Hurt/Comfort, Language Barrier, Maito Gai - Freeform, Minor Sirius Black/Senju Tsunade, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parent Hermione Granger, Past Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, References to Depression, Slow Burn, Smut, Strong Hermione Granger, Things get heated now and again, Uzuki Yugao - Freeform, just a little, uchiha shisui - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:41:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 45
Words: 200,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23198770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Regenboogpanda/pseuds/Regenboogpanda
Summary: Hermione is attacked by a remaining group of followers of the Dark Lord. Before she knows it, she’s in the Elemental Nations, trying to make sense of this new world she finds herself in.Now, stuck in a village surrounded by trees, she tries to stay alive, while taking care of a young Metamorphmagus. After everything Hermione had overcome, this just might be the hardest challenge yet. Will she be able to keep a level head, or will she crumble under the pressure?
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Hatake Kakashi
Comments: 448
Kudos: 529
Collections: Marvelous Tales





	1. Forest of Dean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione is attacked by a remaining group of followers of the Dark Lord. Before she knows it, she’s in the Elemental Nations, trying to make sense of this new world she finds herself in.
> 
> Now, stuck in a village surrounded by trees, she tries to stay alive, while taking care of a young Metamorphmagus. After everything Hermione had overcome, this just might be the hardest challenge yet. Will she be able to keep a level head, or will she crumble under the pressure?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place a little over a year after the Battle of Hogwarts, and 8 years before 'Naruto' starts.
> 
> I’d like to note that English isn’t my first language, so if there are any mistakes in spelling or grammar, I apologise!
> 
> This is not Beta-read

**Chapter 1: Forest of Dean  
  
  
** Hermione closed her eyes and takes a deep breath, holds it in for a few seconds, before exhaling slowly. Keeping her eyes closed, she listened to the soft rustling of the leaves in the trees surrounding her, feeling the grass underneath her hands, as she leaned back. She’s going to miss this place. However, it had been a good decision, to come here. She was in desperate need of some alone time.  
  
These last couple of months have been hectic as hell. She scoffed at that though. Months? More like _years_. After all, things have been hectic since she started Hogwarts when she was eleven. At first, it was a good kind of hectic, you know? Learning all these new things, learning all about magic. She still remembered being _so_ excited to learn all she could about the wizarding world. Really, who wouldn’t be excited.  
  
When she had just turned twelve, after being at Hogwarts for only two months, she came face to face with the first of many dangers the magical world held. A Mountain Troll of all things, she had never been as scared in her life! It only kept getting more hectic after that. From being literally petrified, to going back in time to help a criminal escape, who apparently hadn’t done anything wrong, to watching loved ones die. By the time she was 18, she had seen it all, or so she thought. At the time, she couldn’t imagine anything worse than seeing her friends and classmates die, during the last battle with Voldemort. The Battle of Hogwarts, they had named it. How wrong she was.  
  
It was only two months ago, but it feels like it was yesterday. She had just finished her last N.E.W.T., when she was called to the Headmistress’ office. Honestly, Hermione didn’t really think anything of it, her mind still at the last test.  
  
While walking towards the office, however, she got a bad feeling in her gut. A feeling she knew all too well. Has something happened? No, surely not. Not after everything that’s happened. It’s been quiet for over a year now. Shrugging off the bad feeling, she continued climbing the stairs to the third floor.  
  
Hermione should’ve trusted her gut. Not that it would have mattered, but how could she have ignored it? It had helped her stay alive all these years. Making sure she made it home. Home. That word alone brought the tears back to her eyes. No. She was _not_ going to cry again. She’s cried so much already. But thinking of home. She didn’t have a home anymore. Who could’ve thought this would happen? And because of a house fire, of all things. In a world where there’s magic and so many impossibilities, it was something as mundane as a house fire?   
  
The only comfort in all this, was that her parents didn’t suffer. Or so she was told. If only that would lessen the pain she’s feeling, because it hurts so bad. She should’ve been home, she would have been able to save her parents, she was sure of it.   
  
Hermione shook her head. No! Enough of that. Moping wouldn’t bring them back. Neither was feeling sorry for herself. Which is why she came here, to the Forest of Dean. Even though she only came here once with her parents, it still felt appropriate. The forest was so peaceful. Which helped tremendously with her grieving.   
  
Right. That’s enough of that, she told herself as she stood up. Raising her arms, she stretched her back. Hermione looked up, noticing the darkening sky. “It’s getting late, I should probably go eat something,” she murmured.  
She walked to the tent and moved the front flap to the side before walking in. It’s not quite like the one they were using while hunting Horcruxes, just a bit smaller, but spacious all the same.   
  
She grabbed her bag and put her arm in, feeling for the separate bag she used for food. Her mind wandered again, this time towards the future. Now, fresh out of school, she would have to go look for a job. Only, she wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted to do. Before her parents had died, she had it all planned out, but... Everything is just different, now. She’d probably end up at the Ministry, that would be the most logical choice, wouldn’t it?  
  
Nodding to herself, she let out a soft “Aha!” as she finally found the bag she was looking for. She probably should organize the contents of her bag before leaving. As she’s making her dinner, she heard a loud growl. She looked down at her stomach sheepishly. Yeah, she probably should’ve had some lunch as well. She totally forgot about that. Continuing to prep her dinner, she made a mental note to make sure she doesn’t skip any meals anymore.  
  
After eating dinner, she started packing up most of her belongings that are strewn all over. Tonight would be the last night in the forest. Ginny’s birthday is coming up in a couple of days and she still had to get her a present. She promised to stay for a few nights, as Ginny said she was in desperate need of some girl-time. All the boys were driving her insane.  
  
Which brought her to the next issue, because it’d probably be a bit awkward, seeing as she broke it off with Ron during her last school year. As it turned out, their ‘relationship’ was more of a ‘heat of the moment’ kind of thing. That’s how Ron called it in his letter. Being apart probably didn’t really help either. Both Harry and Ron decided they wouldn’t be returning to school to finish their last year and had decided to start working as Aurors instead. While Ron didn’t mention it in his letters, Harry was kind enough to let her know Ron apparently had a lot of ‘admirers’ and wasn’t against acting on it. It’s probably for the best that they remain friends and go their own way.   
  
Looking around in the tent, she’s satisfied with the packing she had gotten done. Hermione checked her watch and mumbled a soft curse. She really needed to go to sleep, if she wanted to get an early start tomorrow. She walked to the front of the tent and closed the front, making sure it was secured properly. Hermione then walked to her sleeping cot, changing into her sleepwear. She put out the small flame in the lantern that was on the bedside table, encasing the tent in darkness.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
The following morning, Hermione packed the last of her possessions, while making a mental inventory of the contents of her bag.  
  
“Hm, I might as well stock up on some potion ingredients, if I’m going to Diagon Alley,” she said to herself.  
  
“Okay, so first Gringotts, then it’s best to go to Slug & Jiggers Apothecary. Maybe I’ll drop by Wizards Wheezes as well. Hm,” Hermione mumbled to herself, while grabbing her wand. She looked around, giving it one last look to make sure she had packed everything, before leaving the tent. With a few flicks of her wand, the tent shrunk down to a small package, fitting in her bag without a hitch.  
  
She glanced around in the forest. She was almost sad to leave. The forest had become a safe haven for her, it always would be, really. Slinging the strap of her bag over her shoulder, she gave it one last glance, before apparating away with a soft _pop_ , not leaving a single trace behind.  
  
Hermione appeared in an alleyway, seconds later. Walking out onto Charing Cross Road, she spotted the Leaky Cauldron across the street almost immediately. As she entered the pub, she smiled at Tom. He greeted her with a nod, as she walked by. Opening the backdoor, she revealed the entrance to Diagon Alley. It wouldn’t matter how many times she came here; it would always remind her of the giddy feeling she felt when she first came here.  
  
Making her way to Gringotts, she steeled herself before opening walking in. The Goblins still weren’t too happy with her after the stunt she pulled with Harry and Ron last year. Holding her head high, she walked up to the currency exchange counter. She took out some of the money she withdrew from her parents’ bank account, requesting an exchange for wizarding money.  
  
With her money pouch filled with coins, she made her way outside, turning towards the Apothecary. Grabbing a basket, she browsed the shelves, grabbing the needed items as she went. Satisfied with what she had collected, she went to the register to pay, thanking the cashier on her way out. Next on the list is Wizard Wheezes, Hermione thought to herself, as she walked towards the brightly coloured building.   
  
“Mornin’ George,” Hermione greeted as she enters the shop.  
  
“Blimey, Hermione! Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes!” George joked as he walked around the counter to give her a hug. “Decided you couldn’t live without me, eh?”  
  
“Yes, of course, George. My life wouldn’t be complete without you,” she joked back, while giving him a soft shove.  
  
“No, thought not,” he grinned. “Anyways, what can I do for you this fine morning?”  
  
“Actually, I came to ask if you have any idea what to get Ginny. Maybe she’s told you if there’s anything she wished for?’ Hermione asked as George walked back to the other side of the counter.  
  
George shrugged. “Not that I can recall, though she’s always going on and on about our Quidditch equipment back home, so maybe that’s something you can look into?”  
  
“Hm, yes, I actually thought that’d be my best bet. Thanks, George,” she smiled. “While I’m here, anything you recommend I should get?”  
  
A grin formed on his lips again, “Of course, ‘Mione! Changed your opinion about the shop, did you? Well, come on then, let’s see what we can find for you.” He said, guiding her upstairs. “How about some Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder? Can’t hurt to have some of that on you.”   
  
“Actually, that’s not a bad idea,” Hermione agreed. “I’ll take a few of those, then. Oh! And a pair of Extendable Ears as well, please. I think that’s all for now.”  
  
“Alright, one pair of Extendable Ears coming right up. I’ll throw in a few Ton-Tongue Toffees as well, just for the fun of it.” George said as he packed all the items. “That’ll be three Galleons and five Sickles.”  
  
As Hermione tried to object, George put his hand up, “No, ‘Mione, don’t argue with me on this one. If you do, I’ll give it to you for free.” He stated.  
  
She swallowed her objection and gave him the money, “Just this once then, George. Next time I don’t want a discount, though. I’m perfectly able to pay full price.  
  
“We’ll see,” he said with a smile and winked at her. “Well, thanks for shopping at Weasleys Wizard Wheezes!”  
  
Hermione laughed, “Sure, sure. I’ll see you later, George.” She gave him a wave as she left the store, crossing the road to look for an appropriate gift at Quality Quidditch Supplies.  
  
After about half an hour of browsing, she decided on getting Ginny a new pair of Quidditch gloves. Paying for her purchase, she made her way to the last store on her list. Flourish and Blotts, she was in desperate need of some new books. Maybe one on transformations. She didn’t know nearly enough about Metamorphmagi and it would definitely help, seeing as young Teddy inherited the ability from his mother and she wouldn’t be able to teach him. It might even give her some insight on Animagi.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
It was in the early afternoon when Hermione finally made it to the Weasleys family home. And of course, it had to be Ron who opened the door for her.  
  
“Um, hi,” he said rather awkwardly.  
  
“Hi, Ronald,” Hermione responded politely. She was quite proud of herself for keeping her voice level. She stopped right in front of him, waiting for him to let her pass. A few seconds passed, before she raised her eyebrows, looking at him expectantly.  
  
“OH, right! Yes, um, sorry, come in, ‘Mione,” he said, while stepping to the side, allowing her to slip inside.  
  
As Ron closed the door, she turned to look at him, opening her mouth to say something, but drawing a blank when she made eye contact. They kept looking at each other, until a loud bang is heard from upstairs. They both jumped at the sound. While it _is_ still awkward to stand next to Ron like this, it did somewhat help dissipate the strange atmosphere that surrounded them.  
  
“I, um, I promised Mum to help in the backyard, so, I’m just gonna... Yeah, I’m just gonna go.” Hermione didn’t even have a chance to respond, watching Ron fleeing the room. Shaking her head, she made her way upstairs to Ginny’s room. They agreed beforehand that she would be staying in her room.  
  
She didn’t bother knocking, they’re both girls, after all. But she should have. She _definitely_ should have.   
  
“ _Merlin’s beard!_ ” She exclaimed, covering her eyes. “Sorry! I’m so sorry! I- uh, yeah, bye!” She really didn’t need to see that part of Harry. At all. Closing the door, she turned around and bumps into George.   
  
“Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t see you!”  
  
George chuckled, “Well, I don’t suppose you would be able to, covering your eyes like that. You alright, ‘Mione? I heard a shout.”  
  
Hermione blushed, “Um, yes, I- that was me. I just saw... Never mind. I’m just- Wait, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at your shop?”  
  
He smiled, “Nah, closed the shop for a week. I’m entitled to some vacation time as well, aren’t I?”   
  
She frowned and raised an eyebrow, not really believing his reasoning, but decided to let it go. “Right, well, I’m going to get a cup of tea, so...”  
  
“Cup of tea? Sounds good.” George interrupted. “Maybe we should ask Ginny as well, I’m sure you two have got a lot of catching up to do.” She really didn’t like the mischievous look in his eye. Surely, he wouldn’t. Of _course_ he would. How could she think otherwise, he was a prankster after all.  
  
“George, don’t. Wait!’ She tried to stop him, as he reached around Hermione to open the door to Ginny’s room. He didn’t get the chance to open the door, as Ginny already pulled it open.  
  
“You two do realize w- I mean, _I_ can hear everything you’re saying out here, right? You aren’t exactly being quiet.” She huffed.   
  
“Why, little sister, you look a bit-”  
  
“Do _not_ finish that sentence, George!” Ginny crossed her arms, blocking the way to her room. “Besides, I heard you say something about tea? Let’s go, then. I’d like a cup.” She closed her door, not giving her brother a chance to walk inside and ushered George towards the stairway.  
  
“Alright, alright, I’m going.” He said, before shouting “COMING, HARRY?”   
  
“ _GEORGE!_ ”   
  
Hermione sighed as she shook her head. Honestly. She heard a door slowly opening, and watched Harry trying to sneak out of Ginny’s room, freezing when he saw her.  
  
“Uh, hi ‘Mione” he greeted, rubbing the back of his head.  
  
“Hey Harry, glad to see you’re dressed.” She joked while sporting a blush, watching as a blush also spread across his face. “Come on, you might as well join us downstairs.” She heard Harry sigh, before following her.  
  
After they had tea, she dumped her bag in Ginny’s room. George did have a point; they _did_ have a lot of catching up to do. She hadn’t seen Ginny since she left school after hearing the devastating news of her parents’ deaths.  
  
It was actually quite nice to be able to talk to someone about this. While the forest helped tremendously with finding her peace, it was quite lonesome. They talked well into the night, until Hermione couldn’t stop yawning.   
  
“Right, I think it’s time we turn in,” Hermione laughed, “we’ll have plenty of time tomorrow.”  
  
“Which is good, because I think it’s time I tell you all about Harry and I.”  
  
Hermione threw her face into her pillow and groaned. “Really, Ginny?”  
  
“Yep, you’re not getting out of this one!” Ginny started laughing, even when dodging the pillow Hermione threw at her. “Besides, it’s my birthday in two days. You have to be nice to me, so you have no choice but to do this for me.”  
  
Hermione groaned again. She wanted Ginny to be able to talk to her about this, but she wasn’t sure if she was able to handle talking about this when it concerned Harry.  
  
“Merlin, help me.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve been playing around with this idea for a while and am a bit hesitant in posting it. I know there are several stories in which a HP-character ends up in the Naruto world, or vice versa, but hopefully this’ll be somewhat different.
> 
> Anyways, so, no Kakashi in this chapter. He won't make an appearance until chapter three, so be patient, he IS coming.
> 
> Please comment below to let me know if you like it!
> 
> Thanks for reading! :D


	2. The Attack

**Chapter 2: The Attack  
  
  
**

After spending a week at the Weasley’s residence, Hermione decided to make one last visit, before going to the Ministry to apply for a job. She hadn’t seen Remus and Teddy in almost a year, although they’ve sent plenty of letters during that time. She still found it odd to not call him Professor, but he insisted she called him by his first name. After the war, they actually formed a solid friendship, not at all like the teacher-student relationship they had before. Which is probably the reason why he didn’t want her calling him professor. He was more of an older brother now.  
  
She arrived in Yorkshire moments later, standing in the middle of a field. She spotted Remus’ cottage when looking over her shoulder. It painted a beautiful picture, with the sun high in the sky. Reaching the door, she knocked twice, before taking a step back. Hearing some shuffling inside, she patiently waited for the door to open.  
  
A soft creak was heard as the door opened, revealing a dishevelled, tired looking Remus.  
  
“Hermione?” The surprise was evident in his voice, apparently not expecting any visitors.  
  
“Hey, Remus,” she greeted sheepishly. “I know I should’ve probably sent an owl first, but I hope you don’t mind me dropping by unannounced? I wanted to see how you and Teddy were doing. It was kind of a spur of the moment kind of thing, really.” She explained.  
  
A smile formed on Remus’ lips, “Not at all Hermione! Please, come in, come in! Teddy will be overjoyed to see you!” He said as he opened the door further.  
  
She stepped in, looking around the cottage. As most things in the wizarding world, it appeared to be bigger on the inside, than it would seem from the outside. It looked... Homey. It put a smile on her face. It made her feel like she was coming home, even when she had never been here before.  
  
“So, where’s the little rascal?”  
  
Remus chuckled, “Down for a nap at the moment, but he should be up in an hour or so. In the meantime, how about some tea? We haven’t spoken in ages.”  
  
“Oh, yes, please.” Hermione responded as she shrugged off her coat and hung it in the hallway. She followed Remus into the kitchen as he prepared the tea.  
  
“So, Hermione, how’ve you been?”  
  
“Oh, well, alright, all things considered. I guess.”  
  
Remus turned around, “Yeah, I heard about your parents. I’m so sorry, Hermione. You’re welcome to stay here as long as you need, you know that, right?”  
  
Hermione smiles gratefully at that. “Thank you, Remus. I’m sorry I didn’t let you know myself. I just couldn’t write it down. Made it too real and I just didn’t want to believe it.”  
  
“Don’t worry about that, Hermione. I understand.” He said. “Now, tell me what else I’ve missed.”  
  
After telling him all about the last months of school and her camping trip, as she called it, a soft cry was heard from across the cottage.  
  
“Ah, that’d be Teddy. Come, you can get comfortable in the living room while I go and get him.” Remus stood, pointing to Hermione where she could sit.  
  
She let out a soft sigh as she sat down on the worn-out couch. A few moments later, Remus walked into the room, with a small bundle in his arms.  
  
“Look who it is, Teddy,” he cooed as he turned the little boy in his arms so that he’s facing Hermione. “Auntie ‘Mione is here!”  
  
She laughed softly at that title, it was another thing he insisted on. Harry may be Teddy’s Godfather, but Hermione was his Auntie.  
  
“Hi sweetie! Gosh, look at you, you’re a handsome little man, aren’t you?” She cooed at the small boy. “Oh, Remus, he’s adorable,” she told him, looking over Teddy’s head.  
  
“He is, isn’t he?” The pride easily recognisable in his voice. “Want to hold him?” He offered.  
  
“Of course, what kind of question is that?” She laughed, holding her arms out to take the infant from Remus. “How could I not?”  
  
She carefully shifted Teddy in her arms, to make it more comfortable to hold him. She looked down and saw him looking at her with big innocent eyes, taking her in. The moment she smiled down at him, a smile formed on the little boy’s lips. Suddenly a squeal erupts from Teddy, followed by a laugh.  
  
“Oh, wow,” Hermione gasped, watching Teddy’s hair change from a soft blue to a bright purple. “That’s amazing!”  
  
Remus let out a chuckle at that, “Yeah, his hair changes quite often, actually, depending on his mood. At least it tells me if he’s angry or sad. Gives me an indication what’s wrong.” He told her. “I just hope I’ll be able to teach him how to try and control it, once he’s a bit older. Otherwise it’ll be a bit more difficult to go out in public.”  
  
Hermione is glad she decided to buy a few books on Metamorphmagi, that would definitely help Remus out. She tells him about her trip to Diagon Alley a week before and the books she had bought on Teddy’s abilities. Remus agreed that would definitely be a huge help. He only knew so much about the abilities of a Metamorphmagus  
  
While Hermione rocked Teddy in her arms, she and Remus talked some more about what they both have been up to. A little while later it was time for Teddy’s last meal of the day before putting him back to bed. After having dinner themselves, Remus showed her the guestroom, stating she can stay as long as she wants, before wishing her goodnight.  
  
Hermione sat down on the bed, letting out a tired sigh. While she hadn’t really done a lot this past week, she found that the interaction with all her friends had really drained her energy. She changed into her sleepwear, consisting of a simple t-shirt and pyjama pants, before crawling in bed. Letting out another sigh, she tried to relax her muscles. Within minutes, she was fast asleep.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione sat up in her bed, her heart pounding in her chest. She was disorientated for a few seconds, before realising where she was. As she wondered what woke her up, a loud explosion was heard from outside. She jumped out of the bed, grabbing her wand and bag, before sprinting out of the room.  
  
“Hermione!”  
  
She turned to towards the shout, watching Remus look at her wide-eyed, wand pointed towards her. She breathed a sigh of relief, that he was okay. “Go get Teddy, Remus. GO! I’ll hold them off!” She shouted, over the sounds of more explosions.  
  
This seemed to shake Remus out of his stupor. “Be careful!” He yelled, before leaving to get his son.  
  
Hermione ran outside, and looked around in shock. It looked like a warzone. There was fire everywhere she looked, the smoke creating a thick mist. She could barely see anything. A whooshing sound caused her to quickly duck out the way. Her eyes narrow as she realised who’s attacking. Death Eaters? What the-  
  
“Hermione, you okay?!” She heard Remus come up behind her, cradling a crying Teddy. He quickly put him under a Silencing Charm.  
  
“Yes, I’m fine. Remus, it’s Death Eaters! We have to find a place to hide, there’s too many of them. I didn’t even know there were still this many around!”  
  
Before Remus could respond, another explosion was heard, this one much closer. The group of Death Eaters then appeared in a circle around them. Hermione counted six of them. _Shit_. She looked at Remus, watching him look back at her. With a nod, they both raise their wands. If it’s a fight they wanted, they would get one.  
  
Hermione set her sight on the Death Eater closest to her and successfully stunned him with the Stupefying Charm. That’s one down. The moment she does, Remus fired his own spell to knock another Death Eater back. Good, four left, she thought.  
  
However, before either Hermione or Remus are able to fire another spell, the remaining Death Eaters point their wands at them and start chanting simultaneously. The effect is immediate. In a blink of an eye, a blinding white light had encased them. She barely had a chance to react, when a curse is fired at her. She blocked it with a _Protego_ , while looking around for Remus. She spotted him a few feet away, with his own shielding barrier up. He looked at her and then took a quick second to ensure Teddy is still secured in the blanket he wrapped around himself.  
  
In moments like this, she was happy she got to know Remus better. One look was enough to know what he was planning. He moved towards her as she moved to him, reaching her arm out. The moment his hand grabs her arm, they disapparate…  
Only to appear several yards from where they were standing. They both stumble as they were forcefully stopped from leaving. However, luck seemed to be on their side for once, as the Death Eaters hadn’t noticed them yet. She heard one of them ordering the rest to look for them. What on earth was happening, though, Hermione thought. Where were they? She took this chance to look at her surroundings.  
  
They had landed behind some bushes, hiding them from the Death Eaters sight. She saw Remus look around as well in the corner of her eye. And it seemed they both come to the same conclusion; they are no longer in Yorkshire. Hermione is fairly certain of that. Grabbing Remus’ arm, she tried apparating again, but doesn’t even manage to disappear now. It felt like there’s a barrier of sorts. Like something is physically stopping them from leaving.  
  
“You okay?” She whispered to Remus.  
  
He gave her a quick nod in response, “you?” He whispered back.  
  
“I’m fine. We have to get away from them though.” She said, still making sure not to make too much sound while looking at the Death Eaters through the bushes. She’s glad that they’re getting a chance to catch their breaths. A rustling of leaves was heard from above her, gaining her attention. She’s not the only one who heard it though, it seemed. A loud cry startled both Hermione and Remus, looking at the bundle that was Teddy. She doesn’t know how, but apparently the previous cast charm stopped working. How could that possibly have happened?  
  
It spurred both wizards into action, as they turn and started running in the opposite direction of the Death Eaters. Remus again cast a quick silencing charm at his son, giving them a better chance of escaping without the Death Eaters noticing them. That chance vanished into thin air, as she heard an “Kill them!” from one of the dark wizards.  
  
They kept on running, both firing spells behind them, to stop or at least slow their pursuers down. It was like Hermione was back in the Forest of Dean, running from the Snatchers. She grimaces at the thought, while throwing a well-placed “ _Reducto!”_ behind her. She then ducks down, to avoid a low branch, while using the base of the tree to change directions, running to the left. She looked behind her and Remus, who caught up to her, before grabbing her arm and pulling her out of the way of a Jinx.  
  
“Thanks,” she breathed, as they both start running again. Suddenly there no longer were any trees around them. Hermione stopped running, as panic floods her body. There was no cover anymore. Nowhere to run. They would be easy targets if they kept running. She looked behind her, to the forest they had just left. Hermione bit back a curse as she realised they couldn’t go back in there either.  
  
She took another couple steps back, raising her wand. Readying herself to attack anything that came through the line of trees. The attack that came, isn’t directed at her though. She turned to run to Remus, as she sees two beams of light make their way to him. The first beam, bright red, he reflects with a _Protego._ He’s not fast enough to stop the second one. Hermione screamed as she watched the deadly green light reach Remus. “ _NO!”_ She reached out, as he turned his head to look at her. She knew he had realised he wouldn’t be able to stop the curse from hitting him.  
  
She blinked and when she opened her eyes, he’s on the ground, on his back. At first it looked like he’s still alive, his body moving. But he’s not. He’s gone. She choked back a sob. Then, in a burst of rage, she turned to the attackers and fires of a string of curses, as she ran towards her friend’s body. A piercing wail is heard, as the Silencing Charm Remus put on Teddy wears off once more. With a _Diffindo_ she gets Teddy out of the blanket Remus had wrapped him in, picking him up. She quickly shifts him to her left arms, holding up her right to be able to fire off more spells, breathing hard. She had to keep fighting. She has to live. Not only for herself, but also for young Teddy.  
  
The remaining four Death Eaters all have their wands pointing at her. She looked from one to the next, readying herself once more for an attack, until…  
  
Suddenly there’s a shout as one of the Death Eaters dropped to the floor. Hermione doesn’t take any chances and fires a _Petrificus Totalus_ at another, watching him freeze up and fall backwards. Then there’s movement from behind one of the remaining two Death Eaters. Hermione focussed her attention to the last Death Eater and silently cast _Locomotor Mortis_ , locking his legs together, which caused him to fall over. She then lifted her wand towards the two masked and cloaked men that took out the Death Eaters. Two more figures appear in front of her. She swallowed nervously. This is bad. This is _really_ bad. How is she going to get herself out of this one?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And, that it for chapter two!
> 
> The following chapters will take a bit longer, so please bear with me.
> 
> Anyways, please let me know what you think! :)


	3. ANBU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty, chapter three is here!
> 
> No Hermione in this one, but there'll be plenty more of her and Teddy in the future.  
> We do get to enjoy Kakashi in this one :)
> 
> Enjoy!

**Chapter 3: ANBU**

“Hokage-sama.”  
  
Kakashi dropped to his knee, as he bowed his head, moving his mask to the side of his head. He’s still breathing hard from his run back to Konoha. They had been ambushed on their way back, while already low on their reserves. Their attackers had been taken care of quite quickly nonetheless, but not before one of their own getting a lethal injury. Kakashi had carried him back and dropped him off at the hospital, before making his way to the Hokage Tower. The medics had rushed him into surgery straight away. He hoped he would be alright. He really didn’t want to lose another team member.  
  
“Hound,” the Sandaime Hokage acknowledged, his eyes narrowing when he noticed the blood on Kakashi’s grey ANBU flack jacket. He blew out a puff of smoke as his face turned serious. “Report.”  
  
“Mission accomplished, sir. On our way back we were ambushed by a group of missing-nin, five miles out. They’re taken care of, but a clean-up is required.” Kakashi responded, producing a scroll from his pouch and handing it to the Hokage.  
  
“Good, I’ll send a team out. Any casualties?” The Sandaime asked, as he eyed the blood splatter.  
  
Kakashi nodded, “Bear. I took him to the hospital.”  
  
The Hokage nodded at that, face grim. Anbu are notorious when it came to avoiding hospitals, so it must be quite bad if Kakashi dropped him off at the hospital. “Okay. Anything else?”  
  
Kakashi shook his head at the question.  
  
“Good. Dismissed,” the Hokage said.  
  
Kakashi stood up and bowed to his leader once again, before placing his mask back and using a Body-Flicker. A second later, he’s in his apartment. He took his mask off, and placed it gently on the desk that’s by the window. He ran a hand through his hair. It feels sticky, _with blood_ his mind supplied. He should probably take a shower before going to the hospital, then.  
  
He slowly, but methodically stripped out of his uniform, dropping it in the hamper next to the bathroom door. He turned on the shower, letting the water turn warm. As he looked in the mirror, keeping his left eye closed, he noticed the patches of dried blood in his silver hair. Sighing, Kakashi looked away and steps under the warm spray. He took a moment to clear his mind before grabbing the soap. He started cleaning himself, forcefully scrubbing his teammate’s blood from his body.  
  
After he’s properly cleaned and dressed in a clean uniform, he put his dog-mask back on and jumped out of his window. Jumping across the roofs of the village, he made his way to the hospital. Within a few minutes he stood in front of the hospital. He frowned behind his mask. He really, _really_ hates hospitals. He’s seen too many comrades go in, but not come out. He hesitated another second, before steeling himself and entering the lobby.  
  
“Anbu-san?” A nurse called out. Kakashi turned his head in acknowledgment. “You’re the one that brought in the other Anbu, correct? Please, come with me.” She says, before leading Kakashi to an unoccupied room.  
  
Kakashi closed the door behind him and then turns to face the nurse. He cocks his head in question. The nurse hands him a file, as she starts explaining what’s in it.  
  
“Your teammate just got out of surgery. He’s suffered great internal damage, but we’ve got our best doctor working on him. The lacerations on his legs were also quite deep, but we were able to stop the bleeding. All in all, he’s very lucky and should make a quick recovery. I can show you his room, if you want?”  
  
“Yes. Thank you,” he says, nodding at her.  
  
“Alright, please follow me, then.” The nurse walked past Kakashi, opening the door to walk back into the corridor. Kakashi silently followed her through the different corridors, before showing him the room where his teammate was staying in.  
  
“There’s a chance he’s not fully coherent yet, because of the sedatives we had to give him. Also, please keep in mind that he really needs to rest, so don’t do anything that jeopardises his recovery. And make sure you don’t stay too long.”  
  
Kakashi once more nodded at the nurse. He walks past her and opens the door to walk in, closing it softly behind him. He felt around, but already knew there was no one that could be seeing or hearing something they shouldn’t. He looked at the pale face of the man that was lying in the hospital bed and sighed.   
  
“You’re an idiot, Genma,” he started, as he removed his ANBU mask to look at his subordinate.  
  
“Heh, sorry Boss.” Genma softly responded. He winced as he tried to sit up and put a hand through his brown hair to get it out of his face. He looked even worse without the bandana he usually wore. It was kind of a strange sight.  
  
“Stop being a stubborn idiot, and lie back down. You don’t want to rip your stitches.” Kakashi sighed while pushing him back down. “You were incredibly stupid, taking that hit. What the hell were you thinking?” He reprimanded Genma.  
  
“I know, I know. I figured I’d make it and not get hit. I made a bad judgement call.” Genma responded.  
  
“You shouldn’t have made that call at all. I ordered you to take the scroll back to the village. When I order you to do something, you listen. You _don’t_ act like an idiot and defy my orders.” Kakashi told him. “Am I clear?”  
  
“Yes, captain. Crystal.” Genma swallowed nervously. He probably hated getting reprimanded as much as Kakashi hated having to reprimand someone. That didn’t mean he didn’t deserve this lecture. He _had_ been a idiot.  
  
“Good. Now, heal up. And get that fucking senbon out of your mouth. It’d be a damn waste if you ended up choking on it.” He took a step back and crossed his arms while leaning at the windowsill.  
  
“Very funny, Boss, very funny.” Genma joked.  
  
“Yeah, I know, I’m hilarious.” Kakashi deadpanned. “Anyways, you’re off the roster until you’ve been declared fit. Which will probably take a few weeks. So rest up.”  
  
“Eh? Few weeks? Come on! I’m fine, it’s just a few stitches.” Genma argued.  
  
Kakashi hums, “just a few stitches, hm?” He walked towards Genma and before the other ANBU could react, he had picked the senbon from his lips and held it above him. “I’ll arrange for you to leave early, if you can get the senbon from me.” Kakashi challenged.  
  
Genma reached forward and hissed.  
  
“That’s what I thought.” Kakashi retorted with a flat voice. “So, yes. A few weeks.” He turned to the table where he had placed his mask on, and put it back in front of his face. He opened the window and hopped on the windowsill. Looking back, he held up his hand. “Later,” and jumped out.  
  
As he landed on the rooftop of the building across from the hospital, he heard Genma yell, “HEY!”  
  
Kakashi smirked beneath both of his masks, placing the senbon in his pouch. While Genma was an idiot for ignoring his orders, he was glad that he wouldn’t be burying anyone anytime soon. Looking to the sky, he surmised daybreak would be coming soon. Not that it mattered, he thought, as he headed towards the Anbu Headquarters, he’d still have to write the report of their last mission. Sleep would come after that.  
  
  
-  
  
  
During the weeks that Team Ro was incomplete, they’re were taken off the roster as a team. That didn’t mean they couldn’t take on any solo missions, however. Which is what Kakashi did. He wasn’t someone to just sit still and train a little here and there. He had a job to do. After the fifth mission in three days however, he was summoned by the Hokage. He had just made it back to his apartment in the late afternoon, as he read the note that was delivered.  
  
He figured he didn’t have to rush, seeing as he wasn’t expected back for at least half a day. He hummed and looked at his clothes. Yeah, he probably should shower first.  
  
After a quick shower, he dressed himself in the standard jonin uniform and made his way towards the Hokage Tower. Entering through the window, he heard the Hokage sigh as stopped in front of him. “You summoned me, Hokage-sama?”  
  
“What happened to using the door like everyone else, Kakashi?”  
  
Kakashi shrugged, hearing the teasing tone in the Sandaime’s voice, “Maa, the window is faster.”  
  
The Sandaime let out a soft laugh, “I don’t suppose you’re going to be using the door next time, are you?”  
  
“Like I said, the window’s faster. But I don’t think you summoned me to talk about how I enter buildings, Hokage-sama.”  
  
The Hokage became a bit more serious then. “No, I didn’t. How are you, Kakashi?”  
  
Kakashi stilled, confused, “how.. Sir, with all due respect, you summoned me to ask me how I am doing?” Surely the Hokage had better things to do than ask him how he was.  
  
“You’ve been taking missions back-to-back, Kakashi. I know your team isn’t complete at the moment, but that doesn’t mean you can overwork yourself. Especially when there's no one to watch your back.” The Hokage frowned. “So, yes. I summoned you here to ask you how you are doing.”  
  
The silver haired teen stared at the village leader, not really understanding why the Hokage was asking him this. He completed his missions, didn’t he? What did it matter how he was feeling about that? Not that he felt anything about that. He was a tool of the village. He simply did what was expected of him.  
  
“I’m fine, sir.”  
  
As he stared at the Hokage, the Hokage stared back at him. After a few moments Kakashi had to really work to not start fidgeting under the Hokage’s stare. He was a seasoned shinobi, damn it. He did _not_ fidget like a child. But still, there was something about that stare. The look he was given almost looked like.. concern? It was at least clear the Hokage didn’t believe him. He frowned at that. He wasn’t lying though. He _was_ fine.  
  
The Sandaime kept looking at him a bit longer, before letting out a sigh once more. “Okay. Don’t overdo it. On to another matter, Shiranui will be released from the hospital tomorrow. Take a few days to get your team in order before taking on the next mission.”  
  
“A few days, sir? I’m sure he will be able to leave right after his discharge.”  
  
“I’m sure he will be, Kakashi. I’m still ordering you and your team to take a few days after he gets discharged. Dismissed.”  
  
Kakashi kept silent, not about to push his luck, bowed and went to take his leave through the window. The Hokage raised an eyebrow at that and pointed towards the door. “Next time, use the door like everyone else.”  
  
“Yes sir.” Kakashi replied as he jumped out the window, making his way home. If he was confined to the village, he might as well get some sleep. He made a mental note to gather the team tomorrow for some training. They could use these few days to work out some more formations. As he neared his home, he passed the market. Oh, right. Food.  
  
Browsing through the market, he stocked up on the necessary items for the coming days. Being away so much meant his cupboards were pretty much empty. He walked through the streets carrying his grocery bags. He was about two blocks away from his apartment, before a shadow passed over him. Kakashi closed his eye and sighed.  
  
“DYNAMIC ENTRY!”  
  
He was so close… There was no escaping him now. Did he really have to be so _loud_?  
  
“Gai. Stop shouting.”  
  
“I’ve been looking all over for you, my Rival! Let’s do a race! It’s the Springtime of Youth! We must make use of this beautiful opportunity! What do you say, my Rival?!”  
  
Kakashi sighed again, he was really not in the mood for this. “No.” He said as he sidestepped Gai.  
  
Suddenly tears were streaming down Gai’s face, which made Kakashi raise his eyebrow. Had he missed something?  
  
“You always act so cool, Rival!”  
  
Kakashi didn’t bother to respond, as he kept walking towards his apartment.  
  
“Fine. You get your way this time, Kakashi! We’ll battle next time. Prepare to lose!”  
  
Kakashi entered his home and closed the door, falling against his closed door. He pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling the start of a headache. Just his luck. Couldn’t the guy take hint? He took of his sandals and patted towards his small kitchen to put away his groceries. He then went to make something to eat, figuring he should eat a decent meal after only been eating ration bars. Sitting down, he hooked a finger under his mask, intending to lower it but stopping as he felt a chakra appearing outside his apartment. Not a second later there was a knock on his door.  
  
He put his food down and walked towards the door, opening it slightly. He looked at the ANBU wearing a cat mask. He raised his eyebrow in question.  
  
“Senpai,” he started.  
  
“Whatever it is, tell me inside, Tenzou, I was just about to eat.” Kakashi tilted his head, inviting his subordinate in, before walking back to the table.  
  
Tenzou sighed, “senpai, you really have to stop calling me by my name.”  
  
“Maa, Tenzou, there’s no one around. It’s fine. So, do we have a mission?” Kakashi said as he waved his complaints off. He sat back down as he lowered his mask and picked up his bowl of rice. Tenzou was one of the very few people that had seen his face, so he didn’t really bother hiding it from him. Besides, he was actually really hungry now. He shoved some rice in his mouth, chewing as he looked at Tenzou.  
  
“We do have a mission, yes. It should be fairly easy from what I’ve gathered. We’re to deliver a scroll to the daimyo, have him sign it and then take it back. So it shouldn’t take more than half a day.” Tenzou explained as he removed his mask and put both the mission scroll and the scroll they were to deliver on the table.  
  
“Hm, yeah, shouldn’t take too long,” Kakashi said after swallowing. He looked at Tenzou… Was he _drooling_? “Are you hungry?” He asked, his lips twitching as he fought back the smile threatening to appear.  
  
“No, no, I-” Tenzou’s stomach growled, making the younger man blush. Kakashi grinned at that.   
  
“There’s some rice left, if you want.” He nodded towards the kitchen, shoving another bite in his mouth.  
  
“Ah, thanks senpai.” Tenzou went to grab himself a bowl and sat down across of Kakashi. Both teenagers ate in silence, feeling completely at ease in each other’s company.  
  
After a few minutes, Kakashi stood up, picking up both bowls and bringing them to the kitchen. He quickly washed the bowls and dried them. After putting them away, he walked back to the table and picked up the mission scroll, reading it carefully. Tenzou was right, it was a fairly straightforward mission. He might as well get this over with, sleep could wait he supposed. There was a sealed note addressed to him specifically in the scroll. He unsealed it by putting a bit of his chakra in it. It was a short message, stating that Team Ro was put back on the roster and that there were enemy-nin sighted in the area they would be travelling through. The Hokage isn’t taking any chances it seemed.  
  
“I assume you’re ready to go?” He asked as he rolled the scroll back and put it in his pouch that he had put on the table earlier.  
  
“Of course.”  
  
Kakashi stayed silent for a few moments. Delivering a scroll was usually a job for one, maybe two of them. But after reading the scroll _and_ the note, he’d best not take any chances either. What they were delivering was strictly confidential and if the scroll were to fall into the wrong hands, it could potentially start up another war.  
  
“Alright, notify Rabbit and Crow and meet me at the Northern gate at 22:00. Oh, and make sure to wear your cloaks. It’s going to rain tonight.” Kakashi ordered. He scrunched up his nose at the thought. He didn’t like the rain. His sense of smell was next to useless when it rained, which made it a little harder keeping track of his surroundings. Anyways, the sooner they left, the sooner he’d be able to get some sleep.  
  
“Yes, captain.” Tenzou responded. He put his mask back on and Body-Flickered away.  
  
Kakashi dug around in his pouch and produced a soldier pill. He disliked using them, but it was necessary. All these back-to-back missions were slightly wearing him down, even if he didn’t want to admit it.  
  
He walked to his bedroom and stripped off his long sleeve and pants, throwing both items in the hamper. He went to his closet and took out the black Anbu issued sleeveless shirt and black pants. He put the pants on and then pulled the shirt over his head, lifting the attached mask until it covered the lower half of his face. He reached into his closet again and grabbed a clean grey flak jacket and put this on over his shirt. Next he took out the metal arm guards, gloves and cloak. After strapping his tanto to his back, he walked back out and grabbed the pouch that he had left there.  
  
After he was fully dressed, Kakashi glanced around, making sure he hadn’t forgotten anything. Nodding to himself, he put his white cloak on, pulled his hood up and then proceeded locked all entrances to his apartment. He then made his way to the Northern gate. When he arrived, he greeted Cat and Rabbit.  
  
“Where’s Crow?” he asked.  
  
Cat responded, “he should be here soon. He was still in a clan meeting when I informed him.”  
  
Kakashi hummed, "Maa, I don't suppose he'll be too long then. He hates those meetings. He hates any meeting, actually."  
  
Rabbit chuckled at that, then asked, "is Bear not coming?"  
  
Turning to the only female in his team, Kakashi shook his head. "No, he's still in the hospital. Won't be released until tomorrow, so it's just the four of us." He hadn't even finished his sentence, before their fourth team member appeared in front of them.  
  
"Good, all set?” Kakashi looked at his team. They all nodded. “Good, let’s go. Formation C.” He stated.  
  
He turned and sped off, the rest of his team following him as he set a fast pace. It would take a few hours before they’d arrive at the daimyo’s palace. And because of the weather, he wanted to make good time, so they didn’t have to spend a lot of time in the rain. Sure enough, not even half an hour later rain started to fall. Pulling his hood a bit further over his head, he sped up a bit more, his team following his example. Had he mentioned he hated the rain? Because he _really_ hated it.


	4. Meeting Magic

**Chapter 4: Meeting Magic  
  
  
  
** Kakashi stretched as he woke up. Slowly blinking the sleep from his eyes. He was glad he was able to get a few hours of sleep. He had definitely needed it, especially after taking that soldier pill. It was great for getting a boost, but after a few hours he got extremely fatigued, which forced him to rest. He glanced to the other side of the room, watching Tenzou as he still slept.  
  
Due to the fast pace he had set, they had made it to the palace around two in the morning. Soaking wet and out of breath, the team had arrived at the palace. They then reported to the head guard to gain entry. Seeing the state they were in, the head guard had offered them the guestrooms, where they could take a shower and rest. It wouldn’t be possible to deliver the scroll to the daimyo until morning anyway, and his team looked like they were about to fall over, so Kakashi had taken the offer. **  
  
**They had been given two rooms, so they split up in pairs and each took a room. As per usual, Rabbit and Crow were quick to pair up. He wasn’t surprised, really. He didn’t know if they thought no one had noticed, but to him it was quite obvious how their scents had intermingled. Not to mention the lingering scent of sex that he smelled, whenever they shared a room together. But what they did in their own time was their business. As long as it didn’t compromise the mission, he really didn’t care what they were up to. **  
  
**The need to pee brought him out of his stupor. He didn't want to get up, though. The bed was quite comfortable, especially since he's been camping out on the floor for the past week. It was still quite early, so he closed his eyes and allowed himself to snooze. When the feeling of needing to pee got almost unbearable after about ten minutes, he reluctantly sat up. He silently got up and padded to the bathroom. He wasn’t sure if Tenzou was still sleeping but if he was, he didn’t want to wake him just yet. They still had about fifteen minutes before the meeting, so he'd give him another five before he had to get up. **  
  
**After emptying his bladder, he looked at his reflection in the mirror and grimaced. There were actually bags forming under his eyes, damn. Lowering his mask, he opened the tap and held out his hands to form a bowl. He threw the cold water in his face, effectively waking himself up. He grabbed one of the towels and dried his face, lifting his mask back up and went back into the room. Tenzou was sitting up in his own bed, staring into space, still half asleep it seemed. **  
  
**As he entered the room, Tenzou looked up at him. “Morning, senpai,” he greeted softly, his brown hair sticking out in all directions. **  
  
**Kakashi nodded at him, grabbing the items he had taken off before going to sleep. “I’m going to wake the others, be in the foyer in ten.” **  
  
**“Alright.” Tenzou responded, also getting up. **  
  
**Kakashi walked out of the room and softly closed the door before venturing to the left. He knocked on the door that was on his right. A few seconds later, the door was opened by Rabbit. **  
  
**“Captain,” she greeted, her shoulder length purple hair looking quite tousled. **  
  
**“Grab your gear, I'm meeting the daimyo in ten minutes, so be in the foyer in by then so we can leave straight away. Don’t be late, either of you.” **  
  
**She nodded her head, before closing the door again. He heard a muted “Get up, Shi” followed by a thud and a “DAMN IT, YU”, before he turned, shaking his head and made his own way downstairs. Honestly, it was like working with children sometimes. Well, technically there were. **  
  
**As he entered the foyer, he was greeted by one of the advisors. "Good morning Anbu-san. Thank you for meeting the daimyo this early, I was informed that you arrived quite late last night.” **  
  
**Kakashi nodded. “It’s no problem,” he said.  
  
“If you’re ready, I’ll go inform the daimyo of your presence. Please wait here,” the advisor told him, as he walked into the great hall where the daimyo received his guests. **  
  
**A few minutes later the door to the great hall opened as the advisor stepped out. "The daimyo will see you now," he stated signalling for Kakashi to follow him.  
  
He followed the man inside the great hall. He never really understood why they needed a room this big. Unfortunately it'd be rude Body-Flicker to the other end of the room, so he had to walk the whole way. A waste of time, if you asked him. But it's probably best to not piss of the daimyo by showing disrespect, especially since he needed something from him.  
  
Stopping in front of the daimyo, he bowed to show his respect. "Daimyo-sama."  
  
"I wasn't informed that Anbu were coming here. State your business." Ah, straight to the point. Good. He wasn’t in the mood for chitchat.  
  
He reached into his pouch and pulled the scroll out. "Hokage-sama offered his apologies that he wasn't able to inform you beforehand. The moment this information became available, we were immediately sent here." Kakashi explained as he handed one of the advisors the scroll, who then handed it to the daimyo.  
  
He waited patiently for the daimyo to read the scroll. He definitely did not roll his eyes when the daimyo went over it a second and even a third time. He knew that they were testing his patience and if he were to try and rush things, they would make it a point to drag it out as long as they could. Simple power play. It was a good thing he was a shinobi, because politics really wasn't for him. It's much easier to track someone down and assassinate them.  
  
"I'm assuming you need to take the scroll back immediately?" The daimyo asked, the annoyance clear in his voice.  
  
"Yes sir. Hokage-sama requested that if you were to agree to the content, that you would sign it. He expressed that it’s of the upmost importance that the scroll is delivered back as soon as possible."  
  
"Hmm, very well then." The daimyo scribbled something on the scroll, before rolling it back and handing it to the advisor to give it back to Kakashi. "If that's all, you're dismissed." He said, annoyance clear in his voice and waved his hand.  
  
Kakashi _did_ roll his eyes then, grateful for the mask. He bowed once more before turning on his heel to walk back to the foyer. Upon reaching it, he saw his team waiting for him.  
  
"We're done here. Let's go. Same formation as before," he ordered.  
  
They simultaneously replied with an "yessir" as they followed his lead. Once outside, he looked up. He was glad to see the sky was clear. Not a single cloud in the sky, which surprised him after the heavy rainfall they had to deal with the night before. The sun had barely risen, indicating it was still quite early. While it was important that the scroll was delivered back to the Hokage it wasn’t crucial that it had to happen as soon as possible. He only told the daimyo that, because he didn’t want to stay there, a little white lie couldn’t hurt in this case. So he figured they could do with a bit of a slower pace than yesterday. He didn’t want to run his team ragged. Again.  
  
After running for about two hours, Kakashi found a clearing, signing to his team to stop. Neither of them had eaten anything and he figured a small break to eat something couldn’t hurt. All four of them removed their masks and placed them beside them. Kakashi dug around in his pouch and took out a ration bar.  
  
“Honestly, captain, I don’t get how you eat those things voluntarily. They’re disgusting.” Shisui said, wrinkling his nose. He also dug through his pouch, and pulled out a small package containing… of course. He should’ve known.  
  
“Really? You brough dango with you?” Kakashi asked, raising his eyebrow.  
  
“What? It’s only a short mission.” He shrugs, “besides, I was going to eat them yesterday but then we had to leave, so I had no time.” He explained.  
  
“You’re an idiot, Shi” Yugao said, as she gave him a shove. “But since you’ve brought them, surely you don’t mind sharing them.” She said as she snatched a piece and put it in her mouth.  
  
“Damn it, Yu! Stop stealing my food!”  
  
“Stop being a baby about it!”  
  
Kakashi shook his head, as he tuned out the bickering pair. Looking at Tenzou, he saw his shoulders moving up and down, indicating that he was trying to hold in his laughter. Really, Tenzou too? He almost missed Genma. Although, scratch that, it was probably best Genma wasn’t here as well. He’d join in just for the hell of it.  
  
They stayed in the clearing for another fifteen minutes, before he called them together.  
  
“Alright, let’s start moving again. We’ve got another two hours to go.”  
  
They all nodded, placing their masks back on. “Good, I can’t wait to eat some more when we’re back. The dango was far from enough, since _someone_ decided to steal some.” Shisui said, while looking at Yugao.  
  
“If it weren’t for your obvious clan-traits, I’d definitely think you would be an Akimichi.” Yugao joked. “All you think about is food.”  
  
“Oi, oi, I’m _nothing_ like the Akamichi! I’m a proud Uchiha, thank you very much!”  
  
“In all honesty, you’re nothing like an Uchiha, save for your looks. Your black eyes and dark hair are a dead giveaway.” Kakashi supplied.  
  
“Now, hold on- wait, you’re right about that, actually, captain. There’s no way I could be that grim all the time. Just imagine the headache that you would have from frowning all the time, not to mention the wrinkles it causes!”  
  
“Oh, the horror, Shi!” Yugao replied.  
  
They all laughed at that. Kakashi was glad Shisui wasn’t anything like his clansmen. He could still feel the displeased looks from them when I got the Sharingan. It’s not like he asked Obito for his eye. Frankly, he’d rather have Obito than the eye. At the thought of Obito, his heart ached. It’s been six years and he still felt hollow. That was the one of the reasons he kept on doing back-to-back missions, even at the cost of his own health. If he was too busy focussing on the mission, he couldn’t focus on the ache he felt.  
  
“-ptain?”  
  
Kakashi looked up at that, “hm?”  
  
“Are you, you know, okay?” Shisui hesitantly asked. It was an unwritten rule that no one asked Kakashi about how he was feeling. No one. Well, the Hokage did, but that’s only because he couldn’t exactly maim the Hokage for butting in his life, now could he? While Shisui was an accomplished shinobi and could definitely hold his own against Kakashi, at least longer than most, it still was a risk to bring up the subject.  
  
“Yes,” he said harshly. “Let’s get going.” His tone left no room for objection and the carefree atmosphere that was there a few moments ago had disappeared. All the members of Team Ro knew not to do or say anything to him when he was in this mood, other than following his orders. You did not want to cross a pissed of Kakashi. You wouldn’t live to tell the tale.  
  
Kakashi jumped up, landing on a branch before leaping to another, not looking behind him. The three remaining looked at each other, before following suit. It’d be an uncomfortable and quiet journey back, that’s for sure.  
  
Two hours later, team Ro was a little over five miles removed from the village when there was an energy spike in the air. Kakashi stopped on a branch, signalling his team to do the same.  
  
"It came from the west," Tenzou supplied, "maybe about two miles away from here?"  
  
"It's too close to the village. Let's go check it out." Kakashi ordered.  
  
Within two minutes they arrived at the site where the energy spike had originated. Landing in separate trees, they all couldn't believe what they were seeing. Six people were standing between the trees in, what seemed to be a standoff. What were they-, are they really pointing _sticks_ at each other? _Really?_ Kakashi narrowed his eyes as he saw the two people not wearing cloaks reach for each other, as they disappeared with a 'pop', only to appear right beneath him, stumbling.  
  
He couldn't understand what they were saying, that didn’t sound anything like his language. Listening closer, he concluded they were definitely speaking another language. Kakashi silently dropped to a lower branch, to take a closer look. They weren't shinobi, that was clear. As he dropped down, the leaves on the branch he landed on softly rustled, which caused the woman to look up. She has good instincts though, he conceded.  
  
She looked no older than him, although her facial features were definitely foreign, with bushy brown hair framing her face, suspicious brown eyes tried to look through the leaves. A second later, a loud cry came from the man next to her, making him wince. His hearing was too sensitive sometimes. So, not six then. Seven, if you counted the small child. The noise spurred the other cloaked figures into action as they shouted something. The pair beneath him jumped up and darted away.  
  
Kakashi gave his team the signal to follow, but not engage as of yet, narrowly dodging the explosion the woman caused with her stick. Interesting. He watched the rest of his team also avoid the explosions the duo caused. Keeping a safe distance, they swiftly followed the pair, until they had reached a clearing.  
  
The team stopped at the edge of the forest, watching the scene enfold. The other four cloaked figures appeared below them, firing two beams of light out of their own sticks, resulting in a loud scream from the woman. Switching his gaze from her to the man she was with, he saw the man drop to the floor, unmoving. The woman then yelled out a string of words in a language that sounded different, even from the language she had spoken before, while running towards the man.  
  
It definitely bought her enough time to pick the child up, who was once again cryin- how did they do that? There's _no_ _way_ the child stopped crying that abruptly on his own. As she stands up and points her stick to her attackers, Kakashi decided they were done staying on the side lines. Neither the young woman, nor the child would survive this otherwise. He signalled to Yugao and Tenzou to stay back for now and gave Shisui the signal to knock them out. They needed them alive.  
  
Less than a second later, one of the cloaked men fell down with a shout. The brown-haired woman responded immediately by taking out another one, who suddenly seemed frozen. As he dropped down and took out another one, she took on the last one, as that one fell to the ground as well.  
  
Having dealt with the attackers, Tenzou and Yugao also dropped down from the trees. The woman then pointed her sti- well, _weapon_ at them, looking frightened. Right. They probably looked equally as scary to her, as the men they took down.  
  
“Tie them up, we’re taking them to T&I,” Kakashi ordered. His team went to tie up the fallen men. He stepped around them towards the brown-haired woman, eying her shaking hand as she now pointed the weapon strictly at him. Hm, how to approach this. Well, first things first. He took out a kunai and made a small cut on his arm under his cloak. He then made the appropriate signs with his hands and bend down to the ground to put his hand on the ground, and whispered a soft _“kuchiyose no jutsu.”  
_  
A puff of smoke appeared, revealing a pug wearing a jacket. “Yo,” the pug said in a gruff voice, holding up one of his paws.  
  
“Pakkun,” Kakashi nodded. “I need you to deliver a note to the Hokage,” he said, while he produced a small scroll from his pouch. He quickly scribbled a message in it and rolled it up, giving it to the pug. “You know the drill. Only the Hokage can read this note.”  
  
“You got it, boss.” Pakkun said, as he sprinted off. Good, that was one thing taken care of. He then turned towards the woman, who was still standing there, a confused expression on her face. He supposed she hadn’t seen a ninken before, if that look was anything to go by.  
  
He cocked his head a little as he looked at her, he’d be lying if he wasn’t at least a little curious. He then shifted his gaze to the child, that apparently was still crying by the looks of it, even though there wasn’t a single sound coming from him. Kakashi slowly raised his hands, palm out towards her, showing her that he wasn’t holding a weapon, not anymore at least. Not like he needed a weapon to kill her, but it’s the thought that counts, right? The next issue was how to go about communicating with her. If what he had heard earlier was any indication, she didn’t speak their language.  
  
This day just kept getting better and better, didn’t it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, just to clarify some things and also because I got the question in the previous chapter:
> 
> Both Kakashi and Hermione are 18 years old, Shisui is 17 and both Tenzou and Yugao are 16 in this. Genma is a bit older at 20 years old. I know the ages don't fit and I try to follow canon as much as possible, but this just works better for me.
> 
> Anyways, that's chapter 4! I hope you liked it! Now the real fun is going to start with Hermione and Kakashi :) 
> 
> Stay tuned, and stay safe!


	5. I'm sorry, what?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty! Since the world is in chaos, I figured I could spoil you guys a little and post chapter 5! So, two chapters in two days! This does mean, however, that the next updates will be slower, because the next chapters aren't finished yet.
> 
> Anyways, since we're going to be dealing with a language barrier, just to be clear:
> 
> In Hermione's pov:  
> "This is talking in English"  
>  _"This is talking in Japanese"_
> 
> And for Kakashi it's the same, or the other way around. Depends on how you look at it:  
> "This is talking in Japanese"  
>  _"This is talking in English"_
> 
> The pov's will change after a linebreak, so hopefully that won't be too confusing.
> 
> That's about it. Enjoy!

**Chapter 5: I’m sorry, what?  
  
  
** Hermione tried to keep her wand steadily pointed towards the mysterious man that approached her, or she assumed he was a man, she couldn’t really tell through the mask and cloak. But if the muffled voice she heard was anything to go by, he was. She glanced to the Death Eaters lying on the floor, who were now tied up. That at least made her feel a little bit more comfortable, she didn’t have to worry about the Death Eaters for now. She just didn’t know what to do about the new masked figures. They didn’t seem to be interested in attacking her, but that didn’t mean that they couldn’t, or wouldn’t.  
  
She looked back at the one closest to her, he was wearing a white cloak as opposed to the other three who were wearing a black one. He moved his arm slowly inside his cloak. She swallowed nervously, not sure what he was going to do. His hands then moved lightning fast, before he squatted down and placed his hand on the ground.  
  
Suddenly there was a ‘poof!’-sound and a cloud of smoke came out of nowhere, making her flinch. What in Merlin’s name was happening? And… a dog? Oh, right. Of course. A  _ talking  _ dog. Hermione seriously started to doubt her sanity at this point. But even she couldn’t make something like this up.  The man spoke to the dog and gave him a small scroll before it took off. This day was just getting weirder and weirder.  
  
Her attention then returned to the man, who in turned looked back at her. Hermione watched him cock his head, almost like a dog, really. Which would be ironic, since the white mask he was wearing seemed to be a dog, not to mention the small dog he had just spoken to. She watched him raise his hands, showing her he wasn’t holding a weapon. The universal sign of ‘I’m not going to hurt you’, or she at least hoped it meant the same to them. He kept staring at her, waiting for her to make a move.   
  
Until Hermione was brought out of her stupor by Teddy. She glanced down at him, seeing that he was still crying, silently due to the cast charm. She wanted nothing more than to comfort him, but she was hesitant to lower her wand. Looking up once more, she was now being stared at by all four figures. Yeah, that wasn’t creepy at all, she thought. Oh, what the hell. If they were going to kill her, there was no way she could defend herself against all four, that was obvious. She saw how fast they were, or rather hadn’t seen it which said enough.  
  
Slowly lowering her wand, she whispered  _ Finite  _ to cancel the Silencing Charm. Hermione winced the moment Teddy’s wails reached her ears as she put her wand in her pocket.  
  
“Shh, shh, Teddy. You’re alright, you’re okay sweetie. Shh.” She soothed the little boy. “It’s okay, the bad guys aren’t going to hurt you anymore. You’re safe now.”  
  
“DADA,” Teddy wept. “Da-DADA.”  
  
Hermione rocked the boy in her arms, hushing him, trying to calm him down. “It’s okay, darling. Auntie is here, okay? Auntie will take care of you,” her voice wavered. She didn’t dare to look at Remus’ lifeless body. She had to be strong, especially for Teddy. Like her, he was now an orphan. And she was dead set on making sure he was going to be raised in a loving environment, even if she was the only one he had.  
  
Teddy’s cries slowly started to ebb to soft sobs. “There you go, sweetheart. It’s going to be alright.” Hermione crooned, while still rocking him.  
  
She heard someone clearing their throat, which made her flinch and look up immediately. While still rocking Teddy in her arms, she looked at the man that interrupted her. He seemed to be speaking to her, but she couldn’t understand what he was saying, looking more and more confused at the sounds he was producing. What kind of language was that?  
  
_ “State your name and the business you have in our country.”  
  
_ “I- I’m sorry, what? I don’t- I can’t understand what you’re saying.” She tried explaining to him. She had no idea if he even understood a word she was saying.  
  
The man cocked his head again, obviously bothered by the language barrier they were dealing with, as was she.  
  
He shook his head while saying something else and cleared his throat once more, “Ah-, you speak English, yes?” The man said in a heavy accent.   
  
Hermione perked up at that, “yes! Yes. I speak English. Thank Merlin.” She said, breathing a sigh of relief. “Can you help me? I- I don’t know where I am.” Her voice wavered a bit when saying that.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Kakashi looked at the woman as she pocketed her weapon-stick thing, before calming the small child down. Thank Kami for that, the kid was too damn loud. Listening to her talk, he realised he recognised the language she was speaking. She seemed to be speaking English, a language he had learned years ago. The only issue now was that he wasn’t fluent. He’d have to dig up the scrolls Minato-sensei had given him when he was Hokage to brush up on it some more. Still, it couldn't hurt to check, she may very well be able to speak their language as well. It would definitely save him a lot of headache if she did.  
  
He cleared his throat to gain her attention before speaking. “State your name and the business you have in our country.”  
  
The woman furrowed her brow, clearly looking confused,  _ “I- I’m sorry, what? I don’t- I can’t understand what you’re saying.” _   
  
Kakashi inwardly sighed as he cocked his head again. He could feel his team looking at him, wondering what he would do. He knew Tenzou spoke a little English as well, so he was sure he had picked up on it. He wasn’t sure about Yugao and Shisui. It wasn’t a common language to speak in the Elemental Nations after all.   
  
“This isn’t going to work. She doesn’t seem to speak our language. That’s going to be an issue.” He sighed. Clearing his throat again, alright here goes nothing, _ “Ah-, you speak English, yes?” _ He winced at his botched accent. It was expected since he hadn’t spoken it in over four years and it’s better than nothing at the moment.  
  
She seemed to perk up at that, “yes! Yes. I speak English. Thank Merlin. Can you help me? I- I don’t know where I am.”   
  
Alright, now we’re getting somewhere, Kakashi thought.  
  
_ “What’s your name?”  
  
_ _ “My name?” _ She hesitated a moment before answering.  _ “Um, Hermione.”  _ She said, _ “Granger. Um, yeah, my name’s Hermione Granger.”   
  
_ Kakashi raised an unseen eyebrow at that. That was a weird-ass name. He remembered that Minato-sensei had once said something about there being people who said their names differently, he thought his sensei had just meant the pronunciation, but hearing her speak, it made him think that he hadn’t meant the actual names… Maybe;  _ “What’s your family name?” _ He asked to clarify.  
  
_ “Um, my family name is Granger.” _ She responded.  
  
He nodded at that, both because he was right and to show her he understood. That’s probably what his sensei had meant. The order of the names is reversed compared to how they say it.  _ “I’m Hound. We’re taking you and the others back to our village.” _ He made sure his tone was firm, leaving no room for any objection on her part. Her eyes widened a bit at that, and while she seemed reluctant, she made no objections. Smart girl, Kakashi thought.  
  
As he turned to his team, he noticed something approaching them. He tensed as he widened his senses, preparing for an attack if needed. A second later, he relaxed, recognising who it was right before Genma came into view.  
  
“Managed to escape the hospital, huh?” Kakashi said in greeting.  
  
“As if they could keep me there,” Genma responded while shrugging. “Anyways, I ran into the grumpy pug on the way home who said you were here, figured I’d lend a hand? Can’t believe you left me in that damn hospital, boss.” He complained.  
  
Kakashi shrugged, “You weren’t discharged from the hospital when we left, so tough luck.” He looked at their captives, “Anyways, you’ll be briefed on the situation later, Bear. I’m assuming you’re fit enough to do some heavy lifting?”  
  
“Yep, I’m good as new!” Genma said, looking at the ‘cargo’. He then glanced at the woman, “By the way, who’s the chick? Huh, she’s kinda cute, eh?”  
  
“ _ Focus _ Bear.” Kakashi scolded him. “You can grab the dead body and bring it to the morgue. And keep your comments to yourself, otherwise  _ you’ll _ be the one that ends up in the morgue. Understood?” Kakashi ordered. Genma somehow always managed to annoy the hell out of Kakashi. Couldn’t he just do his job,  _ without  _ the comments?  
  
Genma stayed silent for a moment, which was a smart choice in this case. Kakashi’s patience was wearing thin. “Yessir, understood.” Genma replied curtly as he walked to the deceased man. He picked him up, throwing him on his shoulder. He gave a nod to Kakashi before taking off.  
  
“Okay, Crow and Rabbit, you take the captives to T&I and inform them of the situation. Ask them to wait with the interrogation until I’ve briefed them of the situation. Also, inform them that we’re bringing her in as well.”  
  
“Yessir,” the pair replied, before sprinting off towards the village with the captives. This left Tenzou and Kakashi alone with the woman.  
  
“So,” Tenzou called, “I suppose we’re going to walk?” He nodded towards the woman, who was looking in the direction that Genma, Shisui and Yugao had went. She looked back at him and opened her mouth like she wanted to say something, but waited as she saw they were talking.   
  
He nodded, “yes, we’ll walk. It’s best for now. Besides, I don’t think she would very much appreciate being manhandled at the moment, do you?”  
  
“No, I don’t think she will,” Tenzou chuckled softly. “Are you going to inform her, or should I?” he offered. Kakashi smiled at that beneath his mask, glad Tenzou had picked up on the language. That’d definitely help in the near future.  
  
“Maa, I got it.”   
  
_ Granger-san?” _ He called, as he slowly made his way towards her,  _ “We’re leaving. The place we’re going is about five miles that way.” _ He said as he pointed to the east.  
  
_ “Right, okay, um. Before we leave, may I- Well, if you don’t mind me asking, what are you going to do with my friend?” _   
  
Ah, of course.  _ “He’ll be taken to the morgue for now. You’ll be able to pay your respects later.” _ He explained. He may be harsh, but he wasn’t heartless.   
  
She nodded at him, shifting the child in her arms. He then watched her take the torn cloth that was wrapped around the child and quickly tied it around herself as well. Securing the boy against her body but keeping her arms free. Not bad, he thought. It was obvious she at least had some survival instinct. She’s definitely not as hopeless as he had first thought. Of course, the way she attacked the other men showed that as well, he supposed. And now this. He’d be lying if he said she hadn’t piqued his interest.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione’s mind was whirling. A new man appeared out of nowhere and then lifted Remus’ body like it was nothing and then  _ jumped  _ up into the trees? What in Merlin’s name was happening? She looked back at the man who had called himself Hound. Fitting, seeing the mask and not to forget the fact he had made a dog appear out of nowhere. He was conversing with the other man that remained behind. She honestly wouldn’t be surprised if his name was ‘Cat’ or something feline, looking at the mask. She’ll just go with that now, might as well.  
  
She raised an eyebrow when ‘Cat’ pointed at her, saying something in their language. Teddy started babbling at her, reaching for her hair. She smiled down at him, giving him a kiss on his head.  
  
“Granger-san?” Hound called out to her, walking towards her at a slow pace. She was quite grateful for that, as she looked back at him. “We’re leaving. The place we’re going is about five miles that way.” He said as he pointed in the direction where the rest of the masked men had gone.  
  
“Right, okay, um. Before we leave, may I- Well, if you don’t mind me asking, what are you going to do with my friend?” Hermione cursed herself as she stumbled over her words. He was quite intimidating though, so she couldn’t really blame herself, could she?  
  
“He’ll be taken to the morgue for now. You’ll be able to pay your respects later.” She nodded at that and used the cloth surrounding Teddy to tie him to her body she wouldn’t have to carry him in her arms and then waited for him to lead the way. As soon as she was done, he nodded to ‘Cat’. As the other man passed, Hound held out his hand, to indicate she could start walking. He remained next to her as they made the journey to whatever place they were taking her.   
  
They didn’t speak a word during their walk, which was absolutely fine with her, really. She was still trying to wrap her head around the whole situation. Her mind went a mile a minute, going over all the events. From the Death Eaters attacking them, to ending up in a forest with these strange men. How did the Death Eaters manage to do that anyhow? And would she and Teddy be able to go back home? And Remus’… Shit, this wasn’t happening. It was just a dream, right? She’ll wake up any second now and they’ll laugh about how weird it was. Right?  
  
However, she knew it wasn’t, it was awfully real. Teddy was babbling happily while secured to her chest, without a care in the world. That was good, she didn’t want him to be upset.   
  
Hermione had no idea how much time she’d spend in her mind, but before she knew it she was standing in front of the largest doors she’s ever seen. And Hogwarts’ doors were  _ huge _ .  
  
“Oh my,” she gasped. “Where are we?” She turned to Hound in question.  
  
He cocked his head in her direction, staying silent. She almost thought he wouldn’t answer, but then; “This is our village.  _ Konohagakure no Sato _ , or in your language ‘The Village Hidden in the Leaves’. We call it  _ Konoha  _ for short.”  
  
“Huh, Village Hidden in the Leaves. I suppose that makes sense, with all the trees and all that,” she said lightly, waving her hand to make her point.  
  
Hound hummed at that, looking ahead to where ‘Cat’ was standing. “Wait here.” His voice suddenly was emotionless again. It startled Hermione, but it reminded her that he was not a friend. It was a bit off-putting, to be honest. She didn’t know how to deal with people like that.   
  
He walked up to the other man, softly conversing, while also speaking to the men who were sitting to the side. A few minutes later, Hound returned to where she was standing. “We’re taking you to our T&I department first, before we make any other decisions about your situation.”  
  
“T&I? What’s that?” Hermione asked, not quite liking the sound of that.  
  
“Torture and Interrogation.” Came the blunt reply. Hermione froze at that, her eyes widened in fear, both from his tone and his answer. Torture and Interrogation?  _ Oh no _ .  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
After walking for about an hour and a half, they finally arrived at the gates of Konoha. He saw the woman snap out whatever daze she’d been in almost the entire way. He hadn’t mind the silence, he welcomed it really. He kept an eye on her all the same. The child had babbled at first, but had then fallen asleep due to the steady rocking as she walked.  
  
_ “Oh my,” _ she gasped.  _ “Where are we?” _   
  
Cocking his head, he thought about what to tell her. He figured he could at least reveal the name of the village.  _ “This is our village. _ Konohagakure no Sato,  _ or in your language ‘The Village Hidden in the Leaves’. We call it _ Konoha  _ for short.” _ He explained to her.  
  
_ “Huh, Village Hidden in the Leaves. I suppose that makes sense, with all the trees and all that,” _ she replied, waving her hand around.  
  
Kakashi hummed at that, shifting his gaze towards Tenzou, who was talking with the chunin that was on guard duty.  _ “Wait here.” _ He ordered.   
  
He walked up to Tenzou. “Everything in order?”  
  
“Yes, they got it all sorted. Morino-san is taking care of the captives as we speak and the Hokage has been made aware of the situation.” Kakashi nodded at that.  
  
“Ah, um, Anbu-san,” the chunin nervously said. “We’ve got a message from T&I to let you know that Yamanaka-san is expecting you to come by immediately.” He said, while handing Kakashi the note with a shaking hand.   
  
Kakashi had to stop himself from chuckling. It was kind of fun to see them all so terrified of him. With good reason, of course, but still. “Alright, good.” He then turned to Tenzou, “Let’s go.”  
  
“Ah, senpai, you haven’t forgotten she still has her-“  
  
“Weapon, yes, I know.” Kakashi interrupted. “Don’t worry. You and I both know we can take her out before she points it at us. Let her keep it for now. We can always take it from here if needed.”  
  
“If you’re sure…” Tenzou said.  
  
“I’m sure. Have a little faith in me, kohai.” Kakashi said teasingly as he walked back to where the woman was standing,  _ “We’re taking you to our T&I department first, before we make any other decisions about your situation.”  _ He said to her.  
  
_ “Wait, T&I? What’s that?” _ She asked him, he could see the uncertainty in her eyes as he looked at her.   
  
_ “Torture and Interrogation.” _ He said. She froze at that. The uncertainty making room for fear. She apparently was so scared, he could actually  _ smell  _ the fear. Kakashi frowned at that. While he knew that T&I didn’t sound like a party, he never had someone react  _ this  _ bad to it. She was actually terrified. He looked at Tenzou, giving him a sign to wait a moment. He looked at her a moment longer. Deciding on how to proceed. He figured a direct approach would be best.  
  
He reached out for her arm,  _ “Let’s go, Granger-san. They’re expecting us. We don’t have time for this so snap out of it.” _ He snapped at her, while grabbing hold of her. They didn’t have time for this. The moment he touched her arm, however, he felt an electrical shock running up his arm, which made him pause. She definitely felt it too, because in the same second she tried to tear her arm from his grip, her eyes wide.  
  
_ “What are y- Let me go!” _ She cried out. _ “Let me go, you’re hurting me!” _   
  
Kakashi blinked at her outburst and loosened his grip a little. He hadn’t even realised that he had tightened his grip that much. She tried pulling her arm away again, trying to make him let her go, but he wouldn’t budge.  _ “Stop struggling, Granger-san, I’m not going to let you go. They are waiting for us, so start moving before I force you. And trust me, you’re not going to like it if I have to resort to that.”  _ He was so done with this. He just wanted to report to the Hokage and go to sleep. He felt like a fucking babysitter. She didn’t have a clue, did she? She needed to start realising this wouldn’t be like a vacation of sorts. Just because they hadn’t tied her up like they normally would with a captive, which she was, it didn’t mean they wouldn’t if necessary.  
  
Without waiting for a reply, he started walking towards Tenzou, dragging her along until she finally met his pace. She stayed silent after that, but he could see tears running over her cheeks. Maybe she finally got the seriousness of the situation. About damn time, he thought as he kept a steady pace. They walked through different streets, going left and right along the way. He was actually surprised the child hadn’t woken after she shouted at him. The kid must’ve been really tired, then.    
  
Ten minutes later they arrived at the T&I building. Okay, Kakashi thought. Let’s get this over with.


	6. Stronger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty my lovely readers, I'm back!
> 
> To start off: I hope you're all safe and sound! It's getting crazier by the day and quite frankly it's driving me insane.  
> It does mean I have plenty of time to write, so I'm happy to announce: 
> 
> Chapter 6 is here! 
> 
> I do have to say I'm not entirely happy with it even after rewriting it 3 or 4 times. It just didn't feel right, but in the end I think it turned out okay :)  
> It's the longest chapter so far, so I do hope you enjoy!  
> Again, I don't have a beta, so if there are any mistakes; sorry! 
> 
> Anyways, on with the story!

**Chapter 6: Stronger  
  
  
** Hermione’s heart was pounding in her chest the entire time as they walked to the T&I building. _Torture and Interrogation_. She suddenly was right back at the Malfoy Manor and started to hyperventilate. No, no-no-no, she was stronger than this. Breathe Hermione, _breathe_. She can’t hurt you anymore, she kept telling herself as she tried to calm down, while tears started to run down her face.   
  
They weren’t really going to torture her, right? She hadn’t done anything wrong as far as she knew. Well, you know, besides appearing somewhere out of the blue. And what in the world happened when he had grabbed her arm? She could still feel the tingling sensation in her arm. She was fairly certain he had felt it too, seeing as his grip had tightened around her arm, painfully so.  
  
While busy focussing on her breathing, she wasn’t really paying attention to where they were going. Before she knew it, they had stopped in front of a grim looking building. The building didn’t have a sign on it, but she didn’t doubt they were at the right place.  
  
As they entered, Hound brought her through several corridors, before stopping in a wide room. He then ordered her to wait as he walked up to a desk and spoke with one of the men there. She didn’t bother paying attention to what they were saying, she couldn’t understand them anyway. She felt a presence behind her and looked over her shoulder. ‘Cat’ stood there, blocking the door. If she wasn’t so terrified, she would’ve rolled her eyes at that. If she were to run, it wouldn’t be through the door, that’s for sure.   
  
Collecting her thoughts, the severity of the situation finally fully dawned on her. _Fuck_. She started panicking again, thinking about the mess she was in. How was she going to get out of this mess? No. Stop this, she told herself. This wasn’t going to help anyone. She looked back at Hound. She had no doubt in her mind he was serious before. What she didn’t get, however, was why they hadn’t taken her wand yet, nor her bag now that she thought about it. Surely they hadn’t forgotten about that?   
  
Hermione thought back to when she and Remus had appeared here. It’s been bugging her why they couldn’t apparate away. She remembered feeling like they ran into a wall, she’s never felt anything like that before. Would that mean she couldn’t apparate at all?. That surely wasn’t the case, as they were able to apparate a small distance in the forest. She was tempted to try, but if she were to hit that wall-like barrier again and they found her… she didn’t think they’d be too forgiving. Best not to tempt fate for now, if she wanted to make it through the day.  
  
“Granger-san?” A new voice spoke.   
  
She blinked and turned her head to look at the person who had addressed her. “Yes?” She replied. He was an older looking man, maybe about Remus’ age. As that thought crossed her mind, she felt a pang of sadness. The man didn’t look as scary as the masked men did, at least not compared to Hound and the others. It made her feel a bit more at ease.  
  
He was wearing a headband with a metal plate on it with a symbol etched into it. It was similar, if not the same, to the one she’d seen before entering the village. His long blonde hair was tied in a high ponytail. He was wearing a grey suit with a black overcoat. His light green eyes studied her as she studied him, his face serious. Would he be the one to..?   
  
“My name is Yamanaka Inoichi.” He introduced himself. “I’m going to have to ask you some questions so I would like for you to follow me. I’ll arrange for someone to take the child, while we talk.” He said as he looked at the bundle she was carrying.  
  
Hermione blinked at the man, surprised he also seemed to be speaking English quite fluently. “What? No!” She exclaimed. “I mean, um, no, I’d rather keep him with me, if that’s alright.” She looked down to see Teddy still happily sleeping. She was happy he was still sound asleep after all the fuss that had happened around him.   
  
The man looked at her for a moment and then sighed. “I’m afraid that’s not possible, Granger-san. I assure you the child will not be harmed.” He said as he signalled for someone to come over.  
  
She looked from the man in front of her, to the one coming up beside her to take Teddy. Taking a step back putting her arms around Teddy. “I’m sorry, but I can’t let you take him.” Hermione took another step back and shook her head, looking around the room. She needed to get out of here. She noticed ‘Cat’ had joined Hound at his side. Both had turned their attention to her as well. With everyone’s eyes on her, she knew she must be going mad with what she was considering.  
  
“Granger-san,” the blonde man, Yama-whatever his name was, started, noticing that she was looking for a way out. “Don’t do anything rash,” he warned.  
  
Hermione let out a humourless chuckle. “Rash? I’m just trying to protect him, and myself.” She replied. “And I can’t do that when I don’t know what’s going to happen, who’s going to be looking after him or where he’ll be.” Her voice wavered and she felt her eyes misting over while she looked at the man.  
  
Everyone stayed silent, waiting for the other to make a move. Hermione looked at the men in the room. She was weighing her options, but neither seemed to be one she should take. However, it seemed the choice was made for all of them. There was a ‘pop’ and suddenly one of the Death Eaters stood right in front of her, wand in his hand. Without the mask, it was very clear who one of her attackers was. It was none other than Antonin Dolohov.  
  
Hermione’s eyes widened as he set his eyes on her, an evil smirk appearing on his face. As all the men in the room went for Dolohov, Dolohov went for Hermione. She cursed her decision for pocketing her wand at that moment, not having enough time to grab it as Dolohov grabbed her arm. In a blink of an eye, they were back in the forest.  
  
Due to the suddenness, she stumbled as they arrived, but managed to keep her footing. While she stumbled, Dolohov managed to throw a _Diffindo_ at her. It tore through the cloth that held Teddy and the strap of her bag. As Hermione just barely managed to catch Teddy, she felt a soaring pain shooting through her chest, just below her collarbone. She screamed out in pain, noticing he had not just cut through the cloths, but her skin as well.  
  
She fell to her knees, clutching Teddy to her chest. She reached out for her bag as she saw Dolohov firing another spell at her. Before it hit, she apparated away in panic. Like before, she was forcefully stopped by an invisible barrier a few yards away. Hermione heard Dolohov laugh in the distance. “Do you like the little barrier we put up? Ha! You can’t run from me, Mudblood, we made sure of that!”  
  
 _Merlin’s beard_. So they were the ones that created this barrier? That explained why she and Remus weren’t able to leave earlier. It seemed to be limited to an area in this forest, however, and only when she was trying to leave. Otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to apparate here, she figured. Not that this helped her, because there was no way she would be able to make it out of the forest with this injury and carrying Teddy.  
  
Hermione looked up, to where she could see Dolohov in the distance, from behind the bushes. She only had one option. She had to take him out, it was the only way. She just prayed she was able to.. Carefully lowering Teddy to the ground, she made sure he was unharmed, comfortable and still asleep. He was alright, thank Merlin. She placed her bag next to him and cast a few protection spells, successfully managing to hide him away. No one would be able to find him, as long as she was alive. So she just had to make sure to stay alive, then. Right. Easy, she thought sarcastically.  
  
Pointing the wand to herself, she started whispering the incantation of a healing spell, slowly knitting her skin back together. She didn’t have time to completely heal herself and she would definitely have to apply some dittany later, but for now that could wait. As long as she could move and wouldn’t bleed out, it would be enough for now. She slowly stood up and readied herself. Taking a deep breath to calm herself a bit more, she raised her head in determination. Okay. She could do this. She was stronger than him. So let’s get this over with.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
As soon as one of the captives appeared, Kakashi sprang into action. He jumped towards the man as he reached for Granger. He cursed as he missed by less than an inch. “Fuck!” He quickly looked around, spreading his senses, to see if he could find them. He gritted his teeth when he came up empty, turning to look at the T&I staff. “How the hell did he get out here?!” He demanded. “Didn’t you have him locked up?!”  
  
“Get Ibiki,” Inoichi ordered his subordinates as he stepped towards Kakashi. “The captives, including him, _were_ locked up, Hound. He shouldn’t have been able to get out.”  
  
A moment later, the door slammed open, revealing Ibiki looking pissed off. Looking at Kakashi , Tenzou and Inoichi, he let out a bark “With me.”  
  
Kakashi followed Ibiki to another room, with a screen mounted to the wall. When all four men were inside the room, he turned the screen on and looked at Kakashi. “It was your team that brought these men in, right?”  
  
Kakashi gave him a nod at that, silently urging him to get to the point.  
  
“Right. I understood you requested us waiting with the interrogation. The Hokage insisted we start right away, however, after receiving your note. So we did.” Ibiki said, turning to the screen, which showed the man that had escaped, strapped to a chair. “Since all of them were unconscious when they arrived, we skipped the physical interrogation and had Inoichi dig through their minds. We started with him.” He then looked at Inoichi, signaling him to continue.  
  
“His mind was quite protected, surprisingly enough. He fought me a great deal, but I managed to get some information from him. It’s just bits and pieces.” Inoichi started, “what I saw, however… I have seen a lot of things in my life, but never anything like this. They are nothing like us, they call themselves… wizards, I believe?” He then turned to Kakashi. “I assume you’ve seen some of the things in the forest that I’ve seen in his mind. And, while I’m not entirely sure on the why, I do know for sure that he intends to kill her.”  
  
“We have to go find them, then.” Kakashi stated. “Immediately.” He couldn’t explain why, but this all made him feel very uneasy.  
  
“We have no way of tracking them. The way he disappeared… He didn’t use chakra. And if we can’t sense them, we won’t be able to find them.” Ibiki cut in.  
  
Kakashi frowned at that. That did make it a lot more difficult to find them. He knew he wouldn’t be able to use his pack either, they wouldn’t be able to track their scent if they just disappeared like that. He bit his lip as he racked his brain. How do you find someone you can’t track? Suddenly there was a feeling in his gut, which made him look behind him, towards the door.  
  
He felt the three men around him look at him in question. When Kakashi didn’t turn back, Tenzou decided to speak up, “senpai?”  
  
He didn’t respond to him. He felt like there was a pull, urging him to go. He hadn’t felt anything like this outside of battle. What he _did_ know is that if he should trust anything, it was his instinct. So, without another word, Kakashi rushed out the door.  
  
“Oi, senpai! Wha-” Tenzou started, but he didn’t stay to listen, instead rushing out of the building. Pausing outside, he looked at where the forest was, where they had first found them. Something told him that’s where he had to go. So not wasting another second, Kakashi leapt onto the building across the street and jumped from one rooftop to another, making his way back to the forest.  
  
Behind him, he could sense Tenzou closing in on him. He didn’t bother slowing down or explaining himself. That could wait until he got to his destination. Within a few minutes they arrived at the edge of the forest. He jumped onto a branch and sprinted off in the direction of the clearing.  
  
A minute later, he was forced to dodge a stray beam of light coming towards him. He stopped in the tree he landed in, looking towards the clearing. A few seconds later, Tenzou appeared beside him.  
  
Both had turned their eyes to the clearing, not quite sure on what they were seeing. Kakashi thought he’d seen it all before, but this... This was definitely something else. Bursts of light were going back and forth, both were attacking and deflecting. They needed to stop this fight, but he also knew they had to be careful.  
  
Looking at Hermione, he noticed the boy wasn’t with her, which made him frown. Quickly looking around, but not spotting him. If she was so adamant on holding him, why wasn’t she now? As she moved, he noticed she moved slower than he had expected. He then saw a tear in her shirt and a lot of blood that had seeped into her shirt. His hand clenched into a fist at that. If she was hurt, what about the kid?  
  
“Senpai, what do you want to do?” Tenzou softly said.  
  
“We need to stop him, obviously.”  
  
“Well, yeah, obviously.” Tenzou responded. “I do think we have to be careful not to get hit. I don’t know what those beams can do, but it did kill that other man.”  
  
Kakashi glanced at Tenzou, nodding in agreement. His mind reeling, quickly thinking of a strategy on how best to approach this. From where they were standing, he didn’t have a clear shot as they both kept moving in order to dodge certain attacks. He kept following the both of them, looking for an opening. “You stay here for now. I’ll let you know when to attack.” He said to Tenzou.  
  
The second he saw his opening, he leaped forward into the clearing. The moment he appeared, the man fired a beam at him, which he skillfully dodged. He then grabbed Hermione and pulled her out of the way of another one, as she got distracted by him appearing next to her. He looked at her and saw that she also had a split lip as well as a small cut on her forehead.  
  
“ _What are you doing here?_ ” She asked, clearly out of breath.  
  
“ _Helping you. Now, stay out of the way,_ ” he ordered her. “ _I’ll handle him_.”  
  
“ _I’m perfectly capable of handling him myself, thank you_.” She retorted.  
  
“ _I’m sure you are, but you’re hurt so I’m still going to handle it. So stay there._ ” Kakashi replied, turning his back to her. As he did so, he saw a beam coming towards them. _Shit_ he hadn’t even heard anything. He shouldn’t have gotten distracted by her. But before he knew it, the young woman pushed past him, waving her weapon and called out “ _Protego!”_ _  
_ _  
_He didn’t see anything happening but as soon as the beam was supposed to hit, some sort of barrier appeared, stopping the beam from hitting them. “ _You’ll handle it, huh?_ ” She scoffed, trying to raise an eyebrow at him, but flinched in pain. “ _Fine,you do whatever it is you need to do. Just.. Don’t get hit by any of the spells. I’ll try to keep his attention on me as long as I can._ ”  
  
She yelled out something, waving her arm around and next thing he knew, there was an explosion near the other man. Kakashi looked at her. He had totally underestimated her, that was for sure. Now was not the time to think about that, however, he said to himself. He turned his gaze to the man at the other side of the clearing, who was preparing for another attack. The man was focussing his attention on Hermione now, which gave him the chance to disappear. Right before he used the Body-Flicker to appear behind the man, he gave Tenzou a signal as well.  
  
A second later, he had the man in a headlock and Tenzou was holding his tanto against the man’s chest. Kakashi saw Hermione walk towards them, calling out “ _Can you move out of the way, please?_ ” She directed at Tenzou, who looked at Kakashi. He nodded at Tenzou to move. She then raised her stick towards the man and said “ _Stupefy!”_ The man suddenly fell unconscious, dropping his body weight on Kakashi as he still had him in a headlock.  
  
“ _You can let him go now,_ ” she said as she reached them. “ _He won’t wake up for a while._ _Nevertheless, just to be sure I’ll incarcerate him._ ” She bent down and grabbed the man’s stick and put it in her pocket.  
  
Both Kakashi and Tenzou looked at her in question. “ _I’m sorry, what?_ ” Kakashi couldn’t help but ask.  
  
“ _I’ll tie him up, step away, please._ ”  
  
Kakashi took a step back, before he realised that he had. He saw Tenzou do the same. Seriously, who is this woman? Both his eyebrows raised in wonder as a rope came out of her stick. Really? A fucking _rope_? Just, _how_?  
  
“ _Alright, that’s that, then._ ” She sighed in what seemed to be relief. He didn’t blame her, seeing the state she was in.  
  
“Cat,” Kakashi called. “Take him back to T&I, I’ll take her to the hospital, after I’ve found that boy.”  
  
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay, just in case?”  
  
“Nah, I got it. Get going. Fill them in on what happened okay? And don’t let him wake up.”   
  
“Alright, if you’re sure. Don’t take too long, senpai.” Tenzou said before picking the tied up man up, hoisting him over his shoulder. A second later, he was gone.  
  
Kakashi then turned to Hermione, once again looking at the cuts on her face, but most importantly the bloody and ripped t-shirt and the damaged skin underneath. “ _Are you alright?_ ”  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione glanced at Hound, before glancing down at her shirt. “What? Oh, yes, yes. I’m fine _._ ” She said, waving it off. “I just need to mend it some more and put some dittany on it against the scarring and it should be fine _._ ”  
  
She turned around, looking across the clearing. It looked like a whole different area after all the spells that were fired by her and Dolohov. But that’s not important now. She needed to get to Teddy and her bag, because she was _not_ fine. Not at all, but he didn’t need to know that. The place Dolohov had slashed through hurt like hell, even if she somewhat mended it. Hermione clenched her jaw in pain as she turned towards the bushes where she left Teddy.  
  
“Hey! Where do you think yo-” Hound started, following her.  
  
“I need to go get Teddy.” She called over her shoulder.  
  
A second later, Hound was next to her, which made her stop walking. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow, silently asking what he wanted. He shrugged and said “It’s not that I don’t trust you, but…”  
  
“You don’t trust me,” she finished dryly.  
  
“Right,” he nodded.  
  
“Alright, fair enough. It’s just through there, I think.” Hermione pointed to her left. She led him towards the area where she believed she had hid Teddy. It really was hard to tell after that fight. A few moments later, she felt the barrier hum right in front of her, which made her sigh in relief. With a quick _‘Finite_ ’ the barrier vanished and the small child came into view, surprisingly still sleeping.  
  
“Oh, thank Merlin, you’re alright. Good.” She felt like crying, now that she was sure he was safe. She picked up the torn strap of her bag and repaired it, before flinging it over her shoulder. Hermione then pocketed her wand and carefully picked Teddy up and held him against her chest before standing up again. “Okay, I guess… we should head back to your village, right?” She asked tentatively.  
  
“Yes.” Hound responded.  
  
“You’re going to take me back to get interrogated?” She already knew the answer to that. While maybe before they could’ve gone easy on her, there was no way they would now.  
  
“No.”  
  
Hermione blinked in confusion at the answer “Wh-what?” He wasn’t going to take her back to T&I?  
  
“Well, obviously we still need to question you. But I’m taking you to the hospital first.” He clarified. “You need to get your wounds looked at.”  
  
She frowned at him. While she appreciated the thought, she didn’t need to go to a hospital. She’d been in enough hospital beds for a lifetime. “That’s alright, really. I just need to mend this, I can do it myself.”  
  
Hound snorted at that. “Yeah, I’m sure. But no more of that magic for now. We’re doing this my way.” He said, “besides, I have a feeling you would need this to heal yourself, so you can’t.”  
  
Did he really just snort? Wait, I would need wha- No! She looked at the items he held in his hand. Which happened to be her wand, _and_ Dolohov’s. When the hell did he take those? “What do you think you’re- Give it back!” She called, while trying to reach for her wand, which he quickly pocketed inside his cloak.  
  
“Yeah, not going to happen. Now, come here.” He said, while opening his arms.  
  
“Why?” She asked hesitantly. She did _not_ trust him, especially if he was able to take something out of her pocket without her noticing. Who the hell did he think he was?  
  
“Because I’m going to carry you. There’s no way I’m walking for another hour and a half when we could easily get there in a few minutes. So, come on. I promise I’m not going to hurt you.”  
  
Hermione didn’t move. She really rather not be carried. Also, what would happen if he touched her again, did he think about that? What if he dropped her or something? Voicing this, Hound sighed in annoyance.  
  
“I’m not going to drop you. Look, we really don’t have time for this. So either you let me pick you up, or I’m picking you up by force. Your choice.”  
  
Charming man, ain’t he? She thought to herself, rolling her eyes. “Alright, fine. Fine,” she relented, stepping towards him.  
  
He bent down and carefully lifted her in his arms, shifting her for a moment, so he could comfortably carry her. She winced in pain as he did so, which caused him to cock his head at her. “You’re just fine, huh?”  
  
“Oh, shut it.” She huffed. A moment later she felt her eyes close, unable to keep them open as the exhaustion set in. Hermione fought it for a moment, but the steady movement of Hound running made it hard to fight. As she tightened her hold on Teddy, she hoped he was still with her when she woke up. She wouldn’t be able to fight them on this, was the last thought that went through her mind as she fully lost consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was an unexpected curveball, eh? It sure as hell was for me, since I didn't plan on going in this direction, but ah well :')
> 
> Please let me know what you think~! 
> 
> xx


	7. Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear, I need to stop spoiling you guys, but I just can't help myself, it seems. So here's another chapter, because why not?
> 
> This chapter was actually waaaay longer than the previous chapter and also longer than what I'm actually posting now. But, I decided to cut it short and use the other bit for the next chapter. 
> 
> The title of the chapter has no relation to the song by Cage The Elephant, while that _is_ a brilliant song. If you don't know it, look it up!
> 
> Again, please excuse any mistakes that I've made. I still don't have a Beta and I sometimes write when half asleep, which isn't the best combo in the world.
> 
> On with the chapter, enjoy!

**Chapter 7: Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked** **  
****  
  
**He _knew_ she was lying when she said she was fine. If the fact that she winced when he moved her in his arms wasn’t proof enough, and if the blood that was seeping through his cloak wasn’t either, the reactions he got in the hospital definitely were. The moment he arrived, the medics ushered him into a room to put her in a bed so that they could take her to the operating room immediately. As soon as they took her and the child out of his arms, he looked down at his cloak. He sighed as he looked at the bloodstains. Yeah, she was absolutely fine, he thought while rolling his eyes.  
  
With both the woman and the child taken out of his hands, he decided it was best to drop by the Hokage first, before doing anything else. It was long overdue. With a few quick seals, he puffed out of the hospital and into the Hokage Tower, right outside the Hokage’s office. He didn’t feel like getting reprimanded for entering through the window today.  
  
He knocked on the door twice, announcing his arrival. A few seconds later, the Hokage called him in. Opening the door, he noticed Inoichi was also present in the room. “Hokage-sama,” he started, bowing at his leader. He then gave a nod towards Inoichi as well, who nodded back.  
  
“Ah, Hound. Good of you to join us. We were just discussing the situation about the captives you brought in. I understand one of them had escaped?” The Hokage eyed his appearance, which was once again covered in blood and once again not his.   
  
“Yes, but we managed to capture him again. I had Cat bring him back to T&I.” Kakashi explained. Frowning as they jumped right into it. In the back of his mind, he thought about the initial mission they were sent on. He almost had forgotten about it, and it hadn’t even been a day. Too much shit had happened today, he thought.   
  
“And the woman?” Inoichi inquired.  
  
“She was injured, so I took her and the child to the hospital.”  
  
“And you left her there without anyone guarding her?” The Hokage looked at him incredulously. Knowing Kakashi would never leave an outsider unguarded in the village if he could help it.  
  
“She wouldn’t be able to leave the hospital in the condition she’s in. It actually surprised me she was even able to fight the other guy. Not to mention, I took the weapon-thing they use from her. And from what I’ve seen, she would need that to leave.” He explained as he took out the mentioned items to show them to the Hokage.   
  
The Hokage frowned at that. “And the child?” He asked.   
  
“The child seemed to be unharmed, but I’m sure the medics will check him over as well.”  
  
His leader hummed at that but stayed silent. Kakashi waited patiently as he seemed to be mulling everything over. “Alright. Inoichi,” he said, turning to the blonde man. “Continue with the interrogations of the captives. Make sure the rooms they are in are sealed at all times. We don’t want a repeat performance of what happened earlier.” He ordered.  
  
“Yes, Hokage-sama.” Inoichi responded before bowing and turning around to make his way back to the T&I facility.  
  
“Now, please remove the mask, Kakashi.” Kakashi moved his Anbu mask to the side at the request. Keeping his left eye closed, he met the Hokage’s gaze. “Now, sit. First things first. I assume the mission was a success?” The Sandaime asked him while grabbing his pipe and lighting it.  
  
“Yes sir,” Kakashi pulled out the scroll that was signed by the daimyo and handed it to him. “Per your request he has signed it, even though I doubt he fully agreed to everything. But I suppose that doesn’t matter now, so everything should be in order.”  
  
“Good. That’s one thing taken care of. Any abnormalities besides the capture of these men?”  
  
“No sir, everything went smoothly, until.. Well, you know,” he shrugged.   
  
“Hm, yes. I received your short message from Pakkun, and got a short explanation from Inoichi, of course. However, please I’d like to hear it from you as well.” The Hokage gestured for him to start talking, so he did. He told him almost everything from the moment they had felt something in the forest, up until him dropping Hermione off in the hospital. The only thing he didn’t mention was what had happened when he touched her.   
  
Kakashi still didn’t know what it meant. He had felt it again as he picked her up in the forest. It made him wonder what it was about her, as he didn’t get the same feeling with the man. It was just her. Mentally shrugging, he figured it didn’t matter. He would probably never see her again after this, which was absolutely fine by him. He’d seen enough crazy shit today to last a lifetime, for sure.   
  
“Alright. Leave the confiscated items with me, Kakashi. I’ll make sure they get stored and secured properly.” The Hokage ordered. “Get some rest, you look like you might fall over,” he added with a raised eyebrow, clearly expecting some sort of objection from the silver-haired teen. But right now he couldn’t muster the energy to actually do so.  
  
“Yes sir.”  
  
The Hokage fell silent, now with both eyebrows raised, looking at Kakashi in surprise. Well, he couldn’t blame him. It wasn’t often that Kakashi would just agree with the order to rest. But he was exhausted. Mentally and physically. He already was tired before he left on the mission yesterday and that combined with everything that had happened today… Yeah. If the Hokage hadn’t ordered it, he might have asked for it. Maybe. Eh, who was he kidding, he wouldn’t ask for it even if he was unable to stand up.   
  
Seeing that Kakashi wouldn’t argue at all, the Hokage dismissed him. He bowed once more, before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Arriving in his apartment, he threw his cloak in the hamper, thinking he should probably do laundry soon. He debated whether he should shower first, or just dump himself on his bed to sleep. The need to feel clean won, as he shuffled to the bathroom, taking a quick shower.  
  
He didn’t bother fully drying his hair as he came out of the bathroom. He yawned while grabbing a sleeveless shirt with a mask attached and some loose pants. Kakashi then flopped down on his bed, landing on his stomach on top of the covers. The moment his head touched his pillow, he was out cold.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione let out a grunt as she woke. An annoying beeping sound stopped her from falling asleep again. She was just about to try and smash whatever it was that made the sound, when it stopped beeping. Oh, thank Merlin, she thought. Slowly opening her eyes, she looked at the ceiling which looked… off. Where-  
  
Suddenly Hermione bolted up, eyes wide, looking around. The same second she let out a scream as she felt the pain shooting through her chest. She squeezed her eyes shut in pain, as she felt tears forming in her eyes.   
  
“ _What do you think you’re doing?! You’re going to rip your stitches, you mustn’t move!_ ”  
  
The voice that came into the room seemed to scold at her, if the tone was any indication, feeling hands pushing her back down on the bed. She had no idea what was being said, which reminded her of someone with an animal mask. What was- Dog? No.. Ah! Hound. It kind of sounded like what he had spoken to her at first. Did that mean it wasn’t a dream? Was this actually real? Oh no, but that meant... Remus was actually... and Teddy- _Shit!_ Teddy! Where was he?  
  
She started fighting the hands that tried to push her down, looking up to a woman who seemed to be a nurse, “no! Let me go! Where’s Teddy?! What have you done with him?!” She rasped. Her throat was as dry as a damn desert. “Please! I have to go find him!” Hermione tried telling the woman, but she could hardly get a sound out.  
  
“ _Oh for the love of-. Stop fighting! You must stay still or your wound will reopen!_ ” The nurse then turned to the door. “ _I need someone in here that speaks her language! Now!_ ” She called out.  
  
A moment later, a familiar face entered the room, holding a small bundle wrapped in a white blanket. The sight made her stop fighting the nurse. “ _I got it, Yumi-san, thank you. I’ll make sure she doesn’t rip her stitches._ ”  
  
The woman sighed irritably, “ _Alright, Inoichi-san, she’s all yours. Don’t stress her too much. And make sure she drinks as well._ ” She walked out shaking her head, softly closing the door.  
  
Hermione watched the exchange with furrowed brows, as the nurse left the room. Turning to the man, she noticed the small bundle moving, before hearing a soft babble. She looked up to the man’s face, silently asking him if that was who she thought it was.  
  
He smiled at her, “don’t worry, Granger-san. I have the boy right here and he’s just fine. He’s a lively fellow, isn’t he?” He commented as he turned the bundle in his arms, carefully lowering it to her. “Careful though, you don’t want to rip those stitches.” He warned her.  
  
She couldn’t care less at the moment. All she wanted right then was to hold Teddy, making sure for herself that he was in fact okay. As she looked at the little boy’s face, she was glad to see he was. Soft brown eyes looked back into hers, taking her in. “Oh, Teddy,” she softly sobbed, trying to swallow around the lump in her throat. Thank Merlin, he’s alright.  
  
Hermione looked at him in relief. She was happy she was coherent enough in the forest to quickly cast a glamour over him. It was a quick, simple spell and she didn’t think Hound had noticed when she cast it, luckily. This would save her a lot of headache and explaining. She figured soft brown eyes and brown-ish hair would be safest for now.   
  
While she knew she was being incredibly rude by ignoring the man that had brought Teddy in, she couldn’t make herself care at the moment, only having eyes for the small orphan she held in her arms. Softly caressing his face, she thought about what had happened to them. It was unreal, truly. She noticed he was wearing different clothes, however, which made her wonder. How long had she been here?  
  
Making eye contact with the blonde man, she tried asking him exactly that, but instead started coughing. “Right, water. Here,” he said as he held a glass to her lips. “Just, drink slowly. Small sips. Good, there you go.” He coached. “Better?”  
  
She shyly nodded at him in thanks, carefully clearing her throat before asking the question she had tried to ask before. The answer however, she hadn’t expected. “You’ve been unconscious for eight days, Granger-san.”  
  
“Hermione, please.” She said automatically, finally fully paying attention to him. “And that long? How-”  
  
“Your injury was worse than it seemed. While the torn skin was already bad enough, it apparently also caused some internal damage. The medics made sure you would stay unconscious for at least five days, to make sure you would heal properly. After that, it seemed you needed several days more to recuperate, Hermione-san.”  
  
She looked at him in wonder. _Eight_ days?! It hadn’t seemed that bad at the time. Then again, she’s not a medic, so she couldn’t have known. Apparently Hound’s decision to go to the hospital had been a smart move. Not that she would ever admit that to him. “Right,” she responded softly after a few minutes. Dozens of questions popped up, but none were verbalised. There was too much to wrap her head around, she just didn’t know where to start.  
  
“I understand all of this is a lot to take in. And while I know you still need your rest, it’s important to clarify some things to us so that we know how to proceed with your situation.” He said in a calm but serious voice.  
  
Hermione let out a sigh at that. There was really no getting out of this now. Especially since she was stuck in a hospital bed. Without a wand, her mind supplied. “Yeah, I know. Just- just ask whatever it is you want to know. I’ll try to answer whatever I can.” She said, sounding defeated. She really didn’t have the energy to fight him on this.  
  
“Okay. Let me know when you need a break or some water. I don't want you to overexert yourself.” He stressed. This made it clear to her that they actually cared about her health, even if it was only a little. She supposed that if they wanted to hurt her, they would’ve done that already. Seeing Teddy so well cared for, especially since it’s been eight days, also made her feel a bit more at ease.  
  
“Sure,” she said, nodding for him to continue. And so it started. He started simple. Their names, age and where they were from. She learned that apparently they never heard of England, which scared her a lot. If they had never heard of her home, then how was she supposed to return? When the questions turned towards magic, she became more hesitant. She wasn’t sure how much she could tell without giving too much away. But she also wanted to be sure she didn’t tell them too much either. That would only endanger her more.  
  
“Alright, that’s all for now,” Inoichi said. “If we have any more questions or concerns, we’ll let you know. For now, focus on healing. Oh, before I forget, we put your bag on the bedside table. Interesting thing, that is,” he commented. Standing up, he put all the papers he had written on in a folder. Looking at Hermione and Teddy he seemed to be debating something. “I’ll arrange for a nurse to set up a small bed for the child, so that he can stay with you.”   
  
She smiled a grateful smile at that, “thank you, Inoichi-san.” During the questioning, she had been able to ask some questions as well and she learned that was the proper way to call someone in a formal way. She also learned what their occupation was, which was apparently called a _‘shinobi_ ’. He offered to get someone to teach her their language, as not everyone spoke English. Only a handful seemed to be able to do so, which would make it harder for her to communicate with people, so she readily agreed to that.  
  
Inoichi left the room shortly after, not saying anything about the contents of her bag, while she was sure it would have been searched. It made her swallow nervously. Then again if he had questions about whatever she had in her bag, surely he would’ve asked them, right? Shrugging to herself, she figured it didn’t matter at the moment. She’d check later if they had taken anything. There wasn’t really anything in there that could harm anyone.  
  
About an hour later, a nurse came in with a cradle that was raised to her level, so she could easily put Teddy down without moving too much. Since she had no idea what to say, so nodded her head in thanks and gave the nurse a smile. She hoped that that would convey what she was trying to say. If not, well, at least she tried. Looking down at Teddy once more, she started singing softly, trying to get him back to sleep.   
  
She really needed to rest some more, feeling the pull of the stitches every time she moved. Hermione was actually quite annoyed at that. While she now realised she wouldn’t have been able to mend her wounds herself, she knew she _was_ able to stop the scarring with dittany. Sitting upright, of course! Dittany! She berated herself for forgetting she actually had some essence of dittany in her bag. Stupid, stupid!   
  
Shifting Teddy on her lap, she sat up some more, so that she could put him in the cradle. She then carefully got out of bed, wincing as she moved her arm towards the bedside table, to grab her bag. As she sat back down, she crossed her legs and leaned against her pillow. It was probably best she didn’t just flip the bag upside down and let all the contents fall on the bed, so she gingerly put her arm in her bag, feeling around. _Damn it_! Nothing was where she had placed it before.   
  
Hermione closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance. Right. She would have to take out all the contents of her bag after all. She really didn’t want to do this right now, but she really _did_ need to put some dittany on her wound. Moving backwards a bit more, she created some extra space on her bed before grabbing the underside of her bag and holding it upside down. She made sure to keep it as close to the bed as possible, so that it wouldn’t be spilling all over the floor.  
  
“Aha!” She called out, as she found the small bottle of dittany. It would be a bit uncomfortable to put it on herself, but it would have to do. Carefully lowering the top of the hospital gown, she winced at the sight of her wound. Admittedly, they had done an amazingly good job with the stitches, clearly they knew what they were doing. She put about three drops on her wound, on the left, right and in the middle and watched it slowly heal. It wouldn’t fully heal the wound, but it’d do its job in preventing most of the scarring. Happy with the result, she placed the bottle to the side as she looked at the rest of the contents. Books, clothes and other items were strewn across the bed. She systematically sorted through all her stuff. Carefully stacking the books on one another and folding her clothes as best as she could while seated. After everything was sorted, she placed everything back in her bag, starting with the books.  
  
Hermione wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but it became quite hard for her to see, the room getting darker by the minute. She got up and shuffled towards the door, where she had noticed a lightswitch before which she flipped. Immediately the room was lit with a fluorescent light, which in turn woke Teddy right up. Oops. Smiling softly at the little boy, she picked him back up and sat back on the bed.   
  
“Right, little man. How about a little story, hm? It’ll help us pass the time a bit before going back to sleep.” She cooed.  
  
Digging around in her bag, she pulled out a book that had quickly become one of her favourites. “Alright, what story would you like to hear?” She asked as she opened the book. “Well, might as well start at the beginning, no?” Chuckling softly, she said, ”’The Wizard and the Hopping Pot’ it is.”  
  
“Daa-” Teddy started laughing  
  
“Oooh? Excited are we? Alright then, let’s get started.” She said, before changing the tone of her voice slightly as she started reading out loud. “There was once a kindly old wizard who used his magic generously and wisely for the benefit of his neighbours.” She began, as she pointed at the book, reading it slowly. After a few minutes she had successfully lulled Teddy back to sleep, when she noticed something move outside her window.   
  
On the rooftop there was a man in a different kind of uniform that she had seen up until now. The most striking part, besides the bone-white mask was the silver hair that almost seemed to be reflecting in the moonlight. She didn’t know what the man was doing there, but after blinking he was gone. Something about it bugged her, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. The mask seemed somewhat familiar, hadn’t it? Then again, thinking about all the different masks she had seen the shinobi wear, they looked quite similar to one another and from this distance she couldn’t clearly tell what animal it was.  
  
Shrugging, Hermione looked back at the sleeping child in her arms. She closed the book and placed it next to her, as she picked Teddy up from her lap and placed him back in his crib. She tucked him in and gave him a soft kiss on his forehead, before laying back down. As she lay there, she realised how tired she was and pulled her blanket up. She would think more about it tomorrow, she decided.   
  
For now, it was best to follow Teddy’s example and sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty, let me know what you think!
> 
> Also, please stay safe and take care of yourselves!
> 
> xx


	8. Mission Possible

**Chapter 8: Mission Possible** **  
** **  
** **  
** After a few days of resting and training with his team, Team Ro once again got sent out on a mission. While he would never admit it, he found his thoughts regularly shifting to the brown-haired woman that was still in the hospital. He wasn’t sure what it was that made him so captivated by her, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself from thinking of her. Had she woken up already? Last he heard she was being kept asleep so that she could heal, which told him her wounds were even worse than he had suspected.   
  
He  _ was _ glad his team was complete again, now that Genma was back. These last couple of days he did spend focusing on their teamwork, as the Hokage had requested. They already worked like a well-oiled machine, but it could never hurt to continue perfecting it as well as they could.    
  
Kakashi looked out of his window not really focusing on anything, letting his mind wander. He was supposed to meet his team in about fifteen minutes and he had yet to finish packing. He sighed as he thought about the mission. Another assassination of some diplomat threathening their country. It would never end, would it? He guessed it didn’t really matter. As long as there were people to kill, he’d have a job to do.    
  
He turned his attention back to what he was doing, checking his pack and making sure he had all the essentials with him, before quickly dressing in his Anbu garb. Within a minute he had changed and was out the window. Making his way towards the main gates over the rooftops, he passed the hospital which made him pause. Stopping on the rooftop across from the hospital he gazed to the windows where some of the rooms were lit, illuminating the rooftop he was standing on.   
  
Like a moth drawn to a flame, he found her room. He watched as she sat in the bed, knees drawn up. Supporting the small child against her chest, she seemed to be reading to him, pointing at the page every now and then. So, she  _ had  _ woken up then. He let out a sigh in relief. Wait,  _ relief _ ? He furrowed his brows at the thought. He didn’t know the woman other than their interaction a little over a week ago. Yet, he couldn’t seem to shake this warm feeling he got when he realised she had healed up enough to be awake. It did mean she was doing better.   
  
Shaking his head, he turned his gaze away from the woman. He didn’t have time for this, his team was waiting. Besides, he shouldn’t be feeling anything about any of this. She was in every sense of the word a captive. He knew she would be questioned about what had happened, if they hadn’t already done so. There was even a good chance she would be thrown in jail after getting discharged. Other than last week, he had no business with the woman, really. As he turned and jumped towards the next rooftop, he didn’t see the curious look in the brown eyes that watched him as he left.    
  
Moments later he stopped in front of his team, who all turned their attention to him. “Did we get the time wrong, boss?” Genma was the first to speak up as he arrived. Of course, they wouldn’t outright say he was late, they weren’t stupid. The tone of Genma’s voice was enough, though. He would always manage to turn everything in a joke, wouldn’t he?   
  
“No, you didn’t. Got held up.” His short reply was blunt, conveying his thoughts on the comment. Kakashi looked at his team, seeing they were all ready he nodded. “Let’s go.”   
  
He turned towards the exit and sprinted off. He silently cursed himself for being late. He knew they were on a tight schedule. The diplomat would be protected at all times, which only gave them a very small window of accomplishing this mission. It was already planned out, since they knew he was going to be in Iwa in less than three days. Unfortunately it took about the same time to get there, not taking in any breaks, so they really hadn’t had any time for delays.   
  
Luckily his team was used to him pushing their limits and didn’t utter a sound as they followed him. They already discussed beforehand what the tactics and formations were, so he knew he didn’t have to say anything about it unless something changed. He didn’t expect anything to happen, but he knew that meant fuck all. Last time everything went to shit when he didn’t expect anything to happen. He wouldn’t make that mistake again, that’s for sure.   
  
While the mission was extremely important, the journey was very much uneventful. Or as Kakashi liked to put it; boring as hell. It didn’t mean he wasn’t alert. He definitely was. He was aware of pretty much everything. From the wind blowing and the scents in the air, to the animals moving about in the forest. Most importantly, he was very much aware of the chakra signatures in the area. At the moment the only signatures he sensed were of his team, which was good. As long as they were the only ones, they’re in the clear.   
  
Team Ro didn’t run into any complications on the way to Iwa, successfully infiltrating the village. They managed to arrive at their destination with an hour or two to spare. He took this time to go over the plan one last time, making sure everything was in order. It was extremely important this assassination couldn’t be traced back to Konoha, so they had to make sure nothing would be traced back to them. He looked around the room they were in, making sure nothing was out of place.   
  
Kakashi felt the adrenaline course through his body. The moments right before always managed to get his blood pumping in the best way possible, like a drug. These missions were what made him feel alive, really. He knew his team felt the same way. This kind of action, it gave all of them a kick. Of course, none of them enjoyed killing. They weren’t monsters. They were, however, good at their job, which is why they almost always got assigned the assassinations. Between all of them they had the perfect skill set for missions like these.   
  
“Senpai, it’s time.”    
  
Kakashi turned his head towards his kohai, giving him a nod. “Alright. Let’s get into position. You know what to do. Simple in and out. Make sure you’re not seen. If you are, leave no witnesses.” He ordered.   
  
“Yessir.” His team responded.   
  
“Good. Move out.” He said with a flick of his hand.    
  
  
  
-   
  
  
  
The days moved slowly for Hermione. Since she was stuck in the hospital bed, surrounded with people that didn’t speak her language, she was absolutely bored out of her mind. She was glad she had Teddy and her books to keep her mind busy. They had yet to let her know what would happen to her after she was released from the hospital. She had asked Inoichi that same question when he had returned the next day, but he skillfully deflected the question and thus leaving her with no answers.   
  
Luckily the staff in the hospital seemed to understand her frustrations with being bedridden and not being able to communicate properly. Somehow both parties seemed to manage to communicate nonverbally, at least to the point she knew when they wanted to check her vitals or her wound. Asking with a thumbs up or down how she was feeling and her responding in a similar way.    
  
It had been a bit difficult in the beginning. Especially when the doctors saw the state of her wound, after having applied the dittany to it. Of course, she had no way of explaining and she didn’t know what they knew about her situation. She ended up shrugging in response. Apparently they had expressed their confusion to Inoichi when he came back, as he was the only one in the vicinity that seemed to speak her language. He ended up becoming a translator for both parties while he was there.   
  
Hermione sighed for what seemed to be the hundredth time that morning. She couldn’t wait to get out of here. From what she understood, her wound was pretty much healed so there wasn’t any reason for her to stay in the hospital any longer. The only thing that remained were her stitches. She wondered what it was that made them keep her there, if it wasn’t for her injuries. She impatiently tapped her fingers on the bed as she zoned out. If only she had her wand. She’d be out of here in a blink of an eye.   
  
She came back to reality when there was a knock on her door. Staying silent, she waited for whoever it was to either enter or leave. They’d probably enter anyways, she had learned quite quickly they didn’t really care for her privacy as they’d probably already seen it all when she was in surgery. She gazed intently at the door as it opened, revealing someone she hadn’t seen before. It was an older man, wearing a white robe. Definitely not a doctor, she concluded. He actually reminded her a bit of professor Dumbledore. Maybe this was the leader she had heard about?   
  
“Good morning, Granger-san.” The man greeted her with a kind voice while giving her a smile.   
  
“Hi,” she responded shyly, her earlier confidence disappearing. It was something about his presence. It was definitely like Dumbledore. He may look kind, but he was without a doubt extremely powerful. People like this just had an air around them. It demanded respect, whether it was intentional or not.    
  
“My name is Sarutobi Hiruzen. I’m the  _ Sandaime Hokage  _ of  _ Konoha _ .” He introduced himself. “And if I’m correct, you’re Granger Hermione and the little boy over there is Lupin Teddy?”   
  
Hermione blinked at that, before reminding herself to respond. She realised quite quickly she should not be rude to this man. If he really was the leader of this village, he would be one to decide what would happen to her. “Um, yes. That’s correct, um, sir?” She ended questioningly. While she had learned how to address people formally, like Inoichi-san, she wasn’t sure how to address this man. The last thing she wanted was to insult him.   
  
But the man didn’t seem to mind, chuckling softly. “Inoichi told me he explained some things to you, like how to address people. From what I understood he explained to address people with the ‘san’ suffix. However, for people with a higher status than your own, we add the ‘sama’ suffix.” He explained.   
  
She slowly nodded in understanding. “So,” she started slowly. “That would be used in your case?” She asked, “but, I have a feeling it wouldn’t be proper to just call you by your name, like I would with Inoichi-san.”   
  
“You’re very much correct on that,” he said smiling. “In my case, you use my title.”   
  
“Right, I think I’ve got it.” She said, “so, I would address you with ‘ _ Hokage-sama _ ’ then.”    
  
The Hokage hummed at that, “Exactly.” Walking towards the chair that was standing next to her bed, he gestured towards it, “do you mind?”   
  
Hermione quickly sat up in bed, making some more room for him to sit next to her bed by lifting her legs up, “O-of course not, sir, um,  _ Hokage-sama _ . Please,” she said nervously.    
  
Letting out another chuckle, which she felt was definitely at her expense, he moved to her side. “Please relax, Granger-san. ”   
  
As the man moved to sit down she heard Teddy starting to babble, indicating that he had woken up. She moved to pick him up, but stopped as the Hokage held his hand up. “Ah,” he said. “Please, let me. It’ll give a bit of practise.” He bent down and lifted Teddy up, cradling him in his arms.   
  
“Practise?” Hermione couldn’t help but ask, as the curiosity got the better of her.   
  
“Ah, yes. It seems I’m going to be a grandfather in a couple of months.” The Hokage explained proudly. “And it’s been many years since I’ve held a child this small. I always seem to forget how small they are at this age.”   
  
“Ah, congratulations then,” she said smiling. It was actually quite interesting to see this side of the village leader. All she’d seen so far were hardened men who tried to show little to no emotion. Inoichi being the only one up until this point who even seemed human.    
  
“Thank you,” he responded with a smile as he sat down. “Now, while I don’t mind the break from all the paperwork, I did come here with a reason.” He turned his gaze from Teddy towards her, face suddenly serious.    
  
Hermione swallowed at that, feeling the previous mood dissipate. She was expecting this, obviously. It didn’t make it less frightening, though. She stayed silent, waiting for him to tell her whatever it was he came here to say. No matter what, however, she would be strong. She would meet any and all challenges they would throw at her head-on. She wasn’t a Gryffindor for nothing, now was she? So, bring it on, she thought.    
  
  
  
-   
  
  
  
Kakashi swiftly moved through the streets of Iwa, keeping to the shadows. At this time of night in Iwa there was almost no light on the streets, making it easier to blend in. He scoffed at how easy it had been for them to enter the village without being seen. He had to admit that it did make their job much easier.    
  
Within a minute or two he reached his destination. Waiting for his teammates to get into position. The plan was simple enough. Tenzou, Yugao and Genma were on the look-out, covering the large area, and Shisui would clear the way to their target as he prepared himself. After it was clear, Tenzou would join him inside. He only had to wait a moment before the all-clear signal was given, spurring him into action. “Move in.”   
  
Opening his left eye, he covertly moved inside through an open window. The Sharingan coming in handy for spotting any chakra signatures. He noticed there were two guards outside the diplomats room. Adding those two to the three that were patrolling the hallways, he made quick calculations on how to bypass them. Shisui was on the same page, creating a small distraction for him. One of the guards stepped away to investigate said distraction and Kakashi appeared in front of the one that stayed, quickly putting him under a genjutsu.   
  
Moving past the guard, he carefully checked the door handle, finding it locked. He had expected it, but a small part of him had secretly hoped it had been unlocked. Pulling out a small pin, he lowered himself to the ground and put the pin inside the lock expertly unlocking it within a few seconds. As he heard a soft ‘click’, he stood back up and silently opened the door, eyeing the room.    
  
Sneaking inside, he closed the door behind him and locked it once more. He stealthily made his way through the room, he heard sounds coming from behind the bedroom door. Oh man, he so did  _ not  _ need to hear this, he silently groaned as he heard moans coming from inside the bedroom. Why did he have to witness this? They had surveyed the building and the people inside it as the diplomat arrived, and they knew the woman would be there. They had decided to use her as a scapegoat, but he didn’t think she’d actually open her legs for an old man like that. Not that it mattered, really. He had a mission to accomplish and he would do just that.    
  
He silently made his way to the door and slowly opened it. Cursing himself for not closing the eye that held his Sharingan, he now had the image of an old man’s wrinkly ass etched into his mind. Permanently. That’s just great, really. Just what he needed. He now knew what he was going to be doing when he got back. Getting absolutely shitfaced in order to try and forget that image, which wouldn’t work. He knew that. But it was worth a shot.   
  
The position the couple was in, did actually work in his advantage. With both their backs towards the door, they never saw him coming. Taking out a kunai, he moved forward and quickly slashed the man’s throat. As he did so, he felt the kunai touch the man’s cervical vertebra. Good, the quicker he bled out, the better.    
  
Not sparing another moment, he turned to the woman as she looked over her shoulder. As her eyes widened, she fully turned herself around which caused the man’s blood to spray all over her front. Not waiting another second, he placed a genjutsu on her to make her forget him and make her believe she had killed her so-called lover. He then handed her his kunai. With that taken care of, he disappeared from the room. A moment later a high-pitched scream was heard throughout the building, followed by lots of yelling.   
  
He waited outside the room for a second, listening. He heard the guards shouting at each other, to grab the woman and kill her for what she’d done. Well, that’s that then. With her dead, there was no possible way to track it back to them. Mission accomplished, he concluded. Now to get the hell out of here.   
  
Kakashi met his team just outside the property. Without another word, they disappeared into the night. Having already planned their escape route beforehand, they made a swift exit from the village. Setting the pace at full speed, they were making good time on their way back. Half a day later, he decided it was safe for them to take a quick break.   
  
As they neared the border, the dry landscape slowly became greener, which gave Kakashi the opportunity to find a sheltered spot where they could stop. Hopefully near a river, so they could refill their bottles. A moment later, Tenzou came up next to him.   
  
“There’s a river about half a mile west of here. You want to stop there?”   
  
“Not right away,” he answered. “Let’s follow the river for a little while and find a secluded spot to stop.”   
  
“Got it.” Tenzou replied, leading them towards the river.    
  
After they had found a good spot they quickly washed up, not staying longer than five minutes. They again made sure not to leave any traces. Kakashi looked up to the sky, calculating how long it would take to get back to Konoha from where they were. Seeing as they had already travelled for about half a day, he figured they would reach the village in about two and a half days. If they pushed it a bit, they’d be back within two days, maybe a bit less.   
  
Looking at his team, he saw all of them were still perfectly fine. Good. That meant they could step it up a bit. He kept in mind that he shouldn’t overdo it, the events of their last mission still etched into his mind. He wasn’t going to be carrying any half dead teammates this time around.   
  
“Alright. Everyone ready?” He asked.   
  
They all gave a nod, which he returned. “Good. Let’s get going then. I’ve got a bottle of sake waiting with my name on it.”   
  
Genma let out a laugh at that as they all started running. “Oh man, boss, I kinda feel sorry for you. At least a little. Was she at least hot? That usually makes it a bit manageable, y’know looking at a fine female specimen.”   
  
Kakashi let out a groan at that. “Please don’t make me think about this any longer, Genma. It doesn’t matter if she was hot or not. Next time we have an assassination where the target’s busy fucking someone, you can go and enjoy the view.”   
  
“Heh, only if the woman’s hot.” Genma countered. “Otherwise there’s no way I’m gonna-”   
  
“Genma. That wasn’t an offer. Next time our target is busy fucking someone, you get to kill them. And I sincerely hope they’re both going to be ugly as hell.”   
  
“Ouch, that’s just harsh, boss.” Genma replied, putting a hand over his heart. “And here I thought you cared about me.”   
  
“Get bent, Genma.” Kakashi retorted, moving to his side and giving him a hard shove which almost resulted in Genma hitting a tree. He noticed the rest of the team following their interaction with great amusement. “And not a word out of any of you about this. I don’t want to hear it. Otherwise you can also expect the same fate dear old Genma is getting.”   
  
“Hey! I’m not old!” Came from behind him, but Kakashi chose to ignore it. He gave his team one last look as a warning before turning and leading them towards the Fire country. Mentally counting down the hours it would take before he was home. He really,  _ really  _ needed that drink.   
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And another one done. Poor Kakashi, eh?
> 
> Let me know what you think! :)
> 
> And don't forget to take care of yourselves and stay safe. xx


	9. A New Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, no Kakashi in this one. Well, not really.   
> Still, hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 9: A New Beginning**   
  
  
“So, I’ll get straight to the point,” the Hokage began. “There’s two options for you in this. The first option is, you leave the village and go on your merry way and don’t come back here. If you choose this option, you must understand we cannot let you leave while armed, the risk would be too great for us in that case, as we must take into account what you’re able to do. Which means we won’t be giving you your weapon back-”   
  
“Wand,” Hermione interrupted, which caused the Hokage to raise an eyebrow at her. “Sorry! It’s just... It’s a wand, the, um, weapon you mentioned.”    
  
“We won’t be giving you your wand back,” the Hokage continued. Her and her stupid mouth, she berated herself. She gave him an apologetic look, but he didn’t seem to take any offense at her interruption. “Which would mean you would most likely be unable to protect yourself.”   
  
“And, option two?” Hermione softly asked when he didn’t continue. She did  _ not _ like option number one. At all. But if option two was worse.. She wouldn’t know what would be the best choice.   
  
“The second option is that you stay in the village” Hermione perked up at this. They would let her stay? “For now,” he added. “However, this doesn’t mean you will be allowed to just freely roam through the village. You will basically be confined to the premises. And in the case you would have to go outside for whatever reason, you will have an escort with you at all times. And most importantly, if you do anything that would even remotely resemble an attack, you will be taken out right away.”   
  
During this entire explanation, the Hokage kept his gaze on Hermione. Watching her take all this in. She tried to keep eye contact the entire time but as he told her what it would entail to stay in the village, she couldn’t help but look down at her lap. Damn. Talk about harsh rules. Understandable, but still.   
  
So, option one was getting kicked out of the village without any protection. And option two was basically imprisonment, only with a teeny tiny bit more freedom.    
  
“Do you have any questions regarding what I’ve just told you?”   
  
Hermione bit her lip as she thought it all through. Despite everything, option two sounded a lot better. At least she’d have a better chance of survival.   
  
“I have a few, actually. If you don’t mind.”   
  
“Not at all. Please, ask away.”   
  
She bit the nail of her thumb as she thought about what she wanted to ask first. “If I were to choose option two, hypothetically speaking, how long would I be under surveillance for?”   
  
“Hypothetically speaking? At least a year. This of course depends on several things, as I’m sure you understand.”   
  
“Of course, yes. But in the situation that I won’t do anything stupid and I won’t be able to go home, I’d be watched at all times for at least a year.” She concluded.   
  
“Yes.”   
  
Softly humming in reply, “and… what about my wand?”   
  
“That again is something that would depend on how everything will go. At first, however, you will not be able to have it back. Not until we know the full extent of what you can do with it. So until we have more information on that, you'll have to do without.”   
  
It made sense, of course. But she couldn’t help but feel bummed about that. While she wasn’t dependable on using magic, she felt almost naked without her wand.    
  
“Was that all you wanted to know?”    
  
“No, um. I have a few more questions.” Hermione said. She had  _ so many  _ questions. But she needed to filter it down to the most important ones. “What about-,” she sighed as she held up her hand. “No, wait.”   
  
She heard a chuckle come from beside her as she struggled with herself. “Take your time, Granger-san.”   
  
“Sorry, I just- I have so many questions,” she explained. “Where would we stay? Because, well, I have some money, but I very much doubt I can use it here. So, technically, I don’t actually have money. Which means I won’t be able to afford housing, or groceries, or-” she started rambling.   
  
“Don’t worry about that. If you were to stay in the village, and I have a feeling you will, we’ll make sure you have a roof over your head. At least until you’re able to provide for yourself.”   
  
“Heh, that obvious, huh?” Hermione laughed softly, sheepishly rubbing the back of her head.    
  
“Just a little,” the Hokage replied, smiling at her and giving her a wink. “Now that that’s settled, I better get back to the office and arrange all this for you.” He stood up and placed Teddy back in his temporary cradle.  
  
“Ah, wait! I have one last question if that’s okay.”   
  
“Oh? Of course. Go ahead.”   
  
“Well, I don’t know if it’s still possible, because it’s been over a week obviously, but.. I was wondering what happened to my friend, Remus? I just- I really wanted to say goodbye to him and maybe get his personal effects as well? Again, I know it’s been a while, but..”   
  
“Of course. I was informed that you wished to do so. We’ve made arrangements to preserve the body until he can get buried. Or, if you wish for something else to be done, I’m sure we can make arrangements for that as well.”   
  
Tears sprang to her eyes, feeling a lump in her throat. “Thank you,” she whispered, giving him a small nod.    
  
“If that’s all, I’ll be on my way. And, it's a bit late, but I’m sorry for your loss, Granger-san.” The Hokage then left the room, leaving her alone with Teddy once more. This did give her time to mull everything over. So, she would be staying here then. At least for the time being, until they’d found a way to get her back home. If they ever found a way to do so. It made her wonder what had happened with the interrogations of the death eaters. Were they able to ever get any information from them about the way they had arrived here?   
  
“What do you think, Teddy?” She asked the boy, “seems we’ll be staying for a while, huh?” Teddy kicked his legs in the air, letting out a laugh. Hermione chuckled, “yeah, I suppose you’re right. We’ll just have to make the best of it. It's you and me against the world, buddy.”   
  
She leaned over towards him and softly tickled his stomach, making him let out a squeal. She kept looking at him, with a sad smile on her face. Their lives would drastically change now. Well, they already had. She knew nothing of the country they were in. It was going to be tough, she knew that for sure. A new culture, new language and not to mention new people. She was happy she wouldn’t be completely alone in this, having Teddy with her, but she couldn’t help but feel alone. She missed her friends.   
  
The thought of them made her heart ache. Were they even aware that she was no longer in England or on the continent for that matter? What would they do if they found out? Will she be able to get in contact with them? Would they miss her? She scoffed at the thought. Probably not as much as she would miss them, she was sure of that.    
  
Even after all the years that they spent together, she knew they’d get annoyed with her, calling her a know-it-all. Not fully appreciating her. She wasn’t oblivious to it, she just chose to ignore it in favor of having friends. The magical world was a harsh place for a muggle-born without any friends. She was about ninety percent sure that they only kept her around at school so that she could help them with their homework. And after that, they were just kind of stuck with her. It was alright, really. Up until she broke it off with Ron. Things got extremely awkward after that.    
  
The thought of school brought her back to her last year. She had actually enjoyed that year a lot, not minding the stress of all the tests. Compared to everything she had been through, the tests were a welcomed change. It was so chaotic after the war. Between rebuilding the school, and burying all their friends, Hermione was also tasked with finding her parents again, who had moved to Australia. It was just fate being cruel by taking them away from her not even a year later.   
  
And now Remus. When would it be enough? How many more loved ones would she have to lose? While she was very realistic, she truly hoped she wouldn’t have to deal with any more loss after this. Not unless it was due to old age.. She didn’t know how much more she could take.   
  
The next day she was allowed to go to the morgue. Just like at home, when she was asked to identify her parents, she dreaded going in. Not wanting to believe what she knew to be true. Inoichi came down with her, acting as a translator as she looked at the peaceful face of her close friend. Hermione had told herself beforehand that she wasn’t going to cry but the moment she saw his face, that went out the window.    
  
Choking back a sob, she walked towards the still body. Unlike with her parents, he appeared to be sleeping. If someone told her that he was alive, she’d believe them in a heartbeat. Curiosity won out as she looked at the barrier that was formed around him. She figured the barrier was there to preserve his body until she was able to say her goodbyes. She appreciated them doing this for her.   
  
Softly caressing his face, she shook her head in disbelief. He was so cold. She bent down to whisper in his ear, “I’ll take good care of Teddy, Remus. You tell everyone I miss them, okay? Know that I really miss you too. And give Tonks a big hug for me. Let her know Teddy is in good hands, okay?” She placed a soft kiss on his cheek. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she stepped back and turned to the men in the room.  
  
The diener handed her a plastic bag, which had his clothes and other effects he was carrying sealed inside. She gave him a small smile in thanks, although it would probably resemble a grimace instead of a smile. Cradling the bag to her chest, she gave Inoichi a nod, indicating she was done. Giving Remus one last glance, she went back to her own room. Softly crying herself to sleep, with the plastic bag still in her arms.   
  
  
  
-   
  
  
  


“Ready to get out of here?” She turned her head towards the door, where Inoichi stood. After all the time they spent together, she actually managed to build some sort of friendship with the man, that’s what it felt like to her anyways. She knew he mostly spent time with her to get more information out of her but she liked to think he didn’t mind her company either way. Besides, she still was very careful with revealing too much about her.  
  
“I’ve been ready since the day I first woke up here, Inoichi-san.” She replied sassily.  
  
She got a laugh as a response. “Fair enough. Alright, grab your stuff then, Hermione-san. I'm getting you out of here.”  
  
Hermione knew beforehand she was going to leave the hospital today, _finally_. She had been waiting for him to get her out of here, so she’d been sitting on her bed. Fully dressed in the clothing that she had in her bag when she arrived, happily getting out of her hospital gown. Her wound had completely healed, with a little help of the dittany. The stitches were removed yesterday, which she was also happy about. There was a barely visible scar, she was stuck with that. Although, she’d really rather have the scar than be dead.   
  
“Finally!” She jumped off the bed, slinging her bag over her shoulders and hoisted Teddy from his crib. “Time to go, Teddy!” Teddy giggled in response, reaching to grab a strand of Hermione’s hair. “I know, sweetie. It’s been a long time coming, huh?” She then turned to Inoichi. “Okay, I’m good to go.”  
  
“Good, follow me then.”  
  
As they departed the hospital, Hermione’s eyes widened at her surroundings. The first time she had walked through the village, she hadn’t been paying attention to her surroundings. Her mind was too preoccupied with panicking as she was being dragged around by Hound. The village actually looked very… basic. There weren’t any paved roads, just dirt roads, really. It was almost like she had gone back in time. Made her feel like entering Diagon Alley for the first time all over again.  
  
Inoichi led her through the village and pointed out shops here and there, explaining what everything was. She didn’t know how long they had been walking, but after a while she noticed it became more and more secluded. There were less buildings around, less people in the streets. Curiously she looked around, taking everything in.   
  
Suddenly, Inoichi stopped. Hermione looked at him in surprise, before looking past him. They had stopped in front of a house that looked completely worn down. “Right, here we are.”  
  
“Huh?” Came the unintelligent reply. “Here?”  
  
“Yes, I know it’s… a bit worn down.” _A bit?!_ He must be joking “But it’s still in good condition otherwise. It just needs a little bit of work.” Now she was absolutely sure he had to be joking. A _little_ _bit_ of work?   
  
“Right.” She couldn’t really get herself to say anything else.  
  
“The owner of the house is currently out, but should return in several days. Until then, you can go and get settled.” Inoichi explained. “Come, I’ll show you the room you’ll be staying in.”  
  
After entering the house, Hermione didn’t know where to look. It was a humongous mess. Dust had piled up on the floors, showing her footprints as she walked around. The little bit of furniture that was in the house, had blankets thrown over them, which was also covered in a layer of dust. In every corner she could see cobwebs. It was clear no one had been here in a very long time.  
  
Inoichi had left her after opening the door for her, explaining he’d get some provisions for her. Hermione started opening windows as she went through the house, trying to get the musty smell out. As she reached the backroom, she noticed a door that led outside, carefully sliding it open. She let out a gasp as she saw the garden. She could tell it used to be a beautiful garden but that it hadn’t had anyone taking care of it for a very long time.   
  
She stepped outside and sat down on the porch, taking it all in. This house would take forever to clean, she knew. If only she could use her wand. In the back of her mind, she knew she could actually have all this cleaned and fixed within a blink of an eye. Hermione didn’t know if they simply forgot but when opening the bag which contained Remus’ personal effects, she found his wand.   
  
It didn’t feel as good as having her own wand. Remus’ wand felt slightly off and there was a good chance she wouldn’t be able to perform the spells as well as she would with her own. Nevertheless, she _was_ able to use it. While she was still in the hospital, she had performed a quick, simple spell in the bathroom to test it out. No one had burst down the door and attacked her, so she figured they couldn’t tell straight away if she used magic.  
  
She heard a knock, followed by Inoichi calling her name, “Hermione-san?”  
  
“I’m in here,” she called back. Turning to look over her shoulder, she saw Inoichi walking towards her, carrying several bags.  
  
“I brought a few groceries to get you through the next couple of days. Also, some bed linen, towels and diapers for the little man.”  
  
“Thank you, Inoichi-san. That’s a big help.” She said while getting back up to take the items from him. She had already found a bare bedroom, so she figured it would be alright to use that room for herself.  
  
“Not a problem. Will you be alright here?” He asked. “I have to get back. There will be an Anbu stationed outside. So if there’s an emergency, just call out to them. He speaks a little English, so you should be fine with communicating if needed.”  
  
Right. She had learned that the men in masks were called ‘Anbu’. Inoichi had explained the meaning of the word, but honestly, she had forgotten what it meant. Not that it seemed that important, as long as she knew what an Anbu looked like and what their job was. “Yes, I’ll be fine. I’ll just.. start cleaning I suppose.”  
  
“Alright. There should be some cleaning tools in one of the cabinets. I’ll come by whenever I have the time. Please take care, Hermione-san.” He gave her a nod and left the house, leaving her alone in the house.  
  
“Okay, bud, let’s change the sheets of the bed and put you down for your nap, hm?” She said as she juggled Teddy and the bags in her arms, making her way to the bedroom. Before putting Teddy down, she made sure that room was cleaned first. Placing him on the bed, she muttered a quick charm to make sure he wouldn’t be covered in dust and then muttered a quick cleaning spell.   
  
After putting Teddy down for a nap, she went into the kitchen and placed the bags on the counter. Digging around the cabinets, she managed to find some cleaning supplies. It was probably best not to push her luck with using any more magic to clean. She first decided to grab the feather duster and dust all the surfaces in the rooms she would be using. Starting in the kitchen, she then made her way to the hallway followed by the living room. The last room she cleaned from top to bottom was the bathroom.  
  
After a few hours Hermione found herself once again sitting on the porch in the garden. She had checked on Teddy as well, but he was still asleep, so she figured it was alright to let him sleep for now. She was satisfied with all the work that she’d done, and had made herself a well deserved cup of tea with a kettle she had found while she was cleaning the kitchen. It was one of the few things she had found during cleaning. There wasn’t a lot here, she realised. It made sense, though. No one had been living here for a very long time.   
  
She _had_ found some pictures of who she assumed were the people that used to live here. A small boy and his father, she surmised. Of course, she had no idea who they were, but they looked happy enough. It was kind of weird to see the boy wearing a mask, but maybe that was for health reasons. She couldn’t be sure. The only thing that bothered her was that the boy’s hair looked familiar. It was a very distinct colour, silver-greyish. She could’ve sworn it was the same hair colour of the stranger that had stopped on the roof outside of the hospital.   
  
Well. It didn’t matter. What mattered now was getting her life in order. Maybe this was a good thing. A fresh start. A new beginning. She allowed herself to smile and nodded to herself. Yes. This would be a new beginning for both her and Teddy.   
  
Her thoughts suddenly were interrupted by a door slamming closed, which made her jump in shock. She turned around to what had caused it and was greeting with an angry, calculating eye.   
  
“ _What the_ fuck _are you doing in my house?_ ”  
  
 _Shit_.


	10. Unexpected Houseguest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovelies! 
> 
> To start off: thank you so much for all the comments, kudo's and bookmarks on this story so far! It makes me happy to see that others enjoy what I'm writing.  
> When I started writing this story, I never expected this, so thank you!!
> 
> Soooo, I suppose it's about time for another chapter, eh? xD  
> Honestly, I think it's mostly me that's impatient. Probably. Most likely.
> 
> Anyways, hope everyone it still safe and sound.   
> I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, so I hope you guys enjoy it :')
> 
> And a shoutout to my friend Veerle, for listening to me nag when I get stuck, for beta-ing and for supplying ideas here and there :D

**Chapter 10: Unexpected Houseguest** **  
** **  
** **  
**As soon as Team Ro got back to the village, Kakashi sent his team off while making his way to the Anbu facility. He knew the Hokage wouldn’t be in his office at this time, seeing as it was about six in the morning. In that case it was best to just write the report and file it. He knew it would be delivered to the Hokage later today. Besides, there weren’t any anomalies, so there wasn’t much to report than a simple ‘mission accomplished’.  
  
After filing his report, he used the Anbu changerooms to take a shower and dress in one of his spare jonin uniforms that he kept there. The clock showed it was a little past eight in the morning. Debating on whether he’d go home or to a bar, he chose the latter. They had at least four days off after a mission like this and he wasn’t lying when he said he needed a drink. Luckily there was at least one bar in Konoha that was open 24/7 and frequented mostly by shinobi.   
  
He made his way inside and spotted his team, all of them changed out of their Anbu uniforms, at a table in the back. Shisui sat next to Yugao as they shared a bench and Genma en Tenzou were on the other side. Shisui spotted him as he entered and enthusiastically waved at him. “Yoo, senpai! We saved you a seat!”  
  
Kakashi let out a sigh. He really rather be drinking alone at the moment, but he knew that if he sat down elsewhere, they’d just join him. He gave Shisui a nod and went to the bar to order a bottle of sake. He wasn’t lying when he said he was going to get shitfaced. Paying for his order, he grabbed the bottle and cup and made his way over to his team.  
  
“I see you’re all making good use of your free time.” He commented as he set his drink down and grabbed a chair from another table. Turning the chair around, he sat down, leaning his arms on the backrest of the chair.  
  
“Well, we figured that the least we could do is support you with your mission of getting drunk.” Genma replied.  
  
“Oh? Support how? I don’t suppose you’ll be buying, hm?” _Hook._ _  
_ _  
_Kakashi looked at Genma with a raised eyebrow. He already knew the answer to his question. Everyone knew Kakashi didn’t pay for anyone else, so he usually received the same treatment, which was fine by him. _But_ he sometimes managed to get his team to pay for him and he’d be stupid to say no to free alcohol on days like these.  
  
“Ehh, more like moral support, y’know?” Genma corrected himself, waving a hand around to make his point. “I mean, we all know you don’t need _actual_ support with getting drunk, right boss?”  
  
“Maa, you’re just afraid I’ll drink you under the table.” _Line._ _  
_ _  
_“What? No way! I can easily outdrink you! You know what? Let’s have a challenge, then. See who can drink the most!” Genma stated. He then turned towards the bar and yelled; “Can we get a couple bottles of sake here? Put it on my tab, will ya?” _And sinker._  
  
“Oi,oi, Genma. Tone it down, man!” Tenzou called out, grabbing his arm before he got hit in the face.   
  
“Are you sure about this, though? Senpai barely loses in a drinking competition, you know that. Actually, he barely loses in _any_ competition.” Shisui said as he leaned against the backrest, putting his arm around Yugao’s shoulder.  
  
“I don’t care! I will not run away from a challenge like this!” Kakashi raised his eyebrow at his subordinate. It was quite clear he’d been here a while, drinking. He was getting louder by the second.  
  
“You do realise that _you_ were the one to challenge the captain, right?” Yugao supplied, looking at him with a smirk on her face.  
  
Kakashi looked at Genma as well, as he processed this information. He looked ready to say something, opening his mouth, before closing it again in defeat. In the meantime, Kakashi took his time pouring his sake into the cup and slowly sipping it through his mask. Tenzou may have seen his face. Didn’t mean he wanted everyone else to see. Besides, it tastes just fine through his mask, so why would he bother lowering it?  
  
While he did that, it seemed Genma had given up on trying to say something. He just shrugged and downed his beer, before grabbing one of the bottles of sake the bartender had brought over. “Whatever, man. I’m still not losing tonight.”  
  
Letting out a chuckle, Kakashi replied before taking another sip, “Whatever you say Genma, whatever you say.”  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Okay, so _maybe_ it wasn’t the best idea in the world to challenge Genma to a drinking contest. Or, to challenge Genma to challenge him to a contest, or… yeah. Whatever. It didn’t matter. It wasn’t one of his best ideas, that’s for sure, Kakashi thought as he stumbled out of the bar.  
  
Looking ahead, he saw Tenzou carrying a barely coherent Genma, who apparently decided it was a great idea to start singing. In the middle of the street. At midday. Shisui and Yugao had left about an hour or two ago, which he should’ve done as well. He planned to do so, but Genma just had to call him a coward and a quitter. Normally he wouldn’t have cared, but his drunk-self didn’t think like his sober-self. No, drunk Kakashi didn’t take kindly to being called out like that, so _of course_ he had stayed to continue the challenge.  
  
Kakashi stumbled as he missed a step while walking towards Tenzou and Genma. Tenzou looked at him, wearing a small blush on his cheeks which indicated he also was reasonably drunk.  
  
“Take him home, will you?” He told Tenzou.  
  
“What about you?”  
  
“Maa, I’m perfectly able to get myself home. He looks way worse, so make sure he doesn’t end up falling asleep in the gutter.”  
  
“BOSSS, boosss,” Genma called out, slurring his words as he noticed Kakashi. “Bosss, wait. Why are there two of you? Stop moving, man! You’re getting me all dizzy. Oh shi-” A second later, Genma had puked all over his feet, and unfortunately for Tenzou, his feet as well.  
  
“For fuck’s sake, Genma!” Tenzou groaned.  
  
“Yeah, good luck with that, kohai. Later!” Kakashi said with a smirk as he eye-smiled at him before poofing away.  
  
Appearing on a roof a few blocks, Kakashi barely managed to catch himself at the edge. Groaning as he held his head, yeah, that probably wasn’t one of his best ideas either. Glancing around to see where he had ended up, he noticed he had successfully managed to go in the complete opposite direction of his apartment. However, he was only a block or two removed from...  
  
“Fuck this shit,” he mumbled to himself. He swore he wouldn’t go back there, but he really didn’t feel like walking all the way back to his apartment. And sleeping on some random rooftop in the sun wasn’t exactly a smart move right now. Admitting defeat, he turned around and made his way to the outskirts of the village.  
  
As he reached his childhood home, he paused. He hadn’t been here in over ten years. The state of the house showed as much. However, were those footprints in the dirt leading towards the house? The thought made him frown in confusion. Broadening his senses, he knew the old wards were still active. But… Someone was here. Someone was in his house. Confusion quickly got replaced by anger. No one was allowed here without his permission. Whether he lived here or not.  
  
With three long strides, he reached his front door, silently opening it. Looking around, he spotted someone sitting on the porch in the back. _What the-._ He slammed the door shut.  
  
“What the _fuck_ are you doing in my house?” He demanded, before actually noticing who it was. As the person stood up in shock and turned to him, he felt his eye widening. His thoughts were all over the place, especially in his intoxicated state. No way. Why was _she_ here? And did they actually give her her weapon back? Are they insane? Is she actually considering attacking him? He raised his eyebrow at her stance. Wait, she doesn’t know who he is. Of course. She met Hound. Not _him_.  
  
“ _Wh-who are you?_ ” She asked as she shakily pointed her stick at him. He noticed her nervously glancing to where the bedrooms were, before shifting her eyes back on him. “ _Well?_ ”  
  
He raised his eyebrow at her, switching to English. “ _Don’t you think that’s something_ I’m _supposed to ask_ you _?_ ” He retorted with a slur. “ _After all, it’s_ you _that’s in_ my _house.”_ He pointed out.  
  
As he looked at her, he watched her eyes grow comically large at his response. “ _Th-this is y-your house? Right. Right, I- I’m sorry. I didn’t know and. Gosh, you just barged in here and, of course you did. It’s_ your _house after all. I’m really sorry. I had no say in this. I was brought here with the news that I would be staying here and-”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Shut up!”_ Kakashi shouted, groaning loudly he lifted a hand to his head and closed his exposed eye. This really wasn’t a good time, his headache got worse by the second. All he wanted was to sleep and hopefully not deal with a hangover when he woke up. A blabbering woman wasn’t on that list. He slowly opened his right eye again, taking her in as she no longer looked as nervous as before. Nope, she was definitely angry now.  
  
“Excuse _me?!”_ She yelled back, “ _I will not be spoken to like tha- Wait. Are you_ drunk _?!_ ”  
  
Of course he was drunk, he thought as he refrained from rolling his eye at her. He had just spent the last four hours getting wasted. He knew, though, that he had to tread carefully now. Making sure he didn’t say or do anything that would reveal to her that he knew who she was. And to also keep his own identity hidden. Well. One simple solution for that.  
  
“ _I’m going to sleep.”_ He said, slurring slightly, ignoring her previous question as he walked past her to his room. He knew it would be a dirty mess, but his futon should still be stored in the closet and should be clean. “ _Oh,”_ he turned around to look at her, “ _while I appreciate it that you cleaned... If you touch anything else, I’ll make sure you’ll regret it. Oh. Right. Name’s Hatake Kakashi by the way. Pleasure meeting you.”_   
  
He gave her a mock bow before turning back around. As he walked away, he heard her huff out a soft, “ _ungrateful arsehole.”_ He smirked at that. She’s got spunk, that’s for sure. But, he’ll deal with that later. He really needed to sleep his oncoming hangover off.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Who the hell did he think he was?! Sure, she was in his house, she _knew_ that. She recognised his hair immediately, how could she not? He looked exactly like the boy from the framed photos she had found. And from the looks of it, he had no idea she would be there. So, his reaction was somewhat expected. But honestly, did he really have to be such a dick about it? Talk about being unappreciative.   
  
Hermione waited for him to close his bedroom door, before making her way to the room she had claimed as her own. Locking herself inside, she looked at her hand and... Merlin. No. How could she have been so stupid?! Although he didn’t seem to know she wasn’t supposed to have it, there was still a good chance he would report this to the Hokage. _Shitshitshit._ Oh, she had really fucked up now, hadn’t she?  
  
She looked at Teddy, biting her lip as she tried to keep her tears at bay. Right. This was it then. The only option she had now, was to leave. She couldn’t stay now, they’d take her out for sure. Idiot, she berated herself.   
  
“Okay, Teddy. I guess we're going to go, huh.” She whispered softly. She started grabbing her stuff, shoving it in her bag as she made her way through the room. Picking up a few books that she had taken out, she started putting those in her bag as well. One slipped from her hand, falling on the floor with a loud ‘thump’. Hermione froze, staying still and listening for any indication that he was coming out to check what was going on. It stayed silent.  
  
She let out a small sigh in relief as she picked the book up and put it in the bag. Looking at Teddy, she was happy to see that he hadn’t woken up either. Okay. Good. Suddenly the door was kicked open, making her whirl around in surprise and causing Teddy to start wailing.  
  
“What the-”  
  
“What do you think you’re doing, huh?” He called out, interrupting her. He was still slightly slurring his words but he did seem a bit more coherent though.  
  
“None of your business.” She stated, as she reached for Teddy to grab him so she could apparate away.  
  
“Oh, no you don’t,” he interrupted lunging at her, but it seemed he still _was_ very much drunk as he tripped over the rug on the floor and fell against her, causing them both to fall to the floor.  
  
“AH!” Hermione shrieked as she landed on the floor, feeling the air escape her lungs as the man fell on top of her. Merlin’s beard, just how heavy was he? She tried to push him off, feeling a rush of electricity go through her, but couldn’t even move him an inch. She looked at him in shock. How? She thought this only happened with Hound. Although, she hadn’t exactly touched any other shinobi. She didn’t think the doctors and nurses counted in that case. Maybe it wasn’t just Hound, but every shinobi?   
  
She felt the man groan and waited as he slowly placed his hands on both sides of her and shakingly lifted himself up.  
  
She followed his movements, as he stopped moving and hovered above her, his right eye wide as he stared at her. They stayed like that for several moments, just looking at each other. Hermione noticed he had a dark grey eye. She wondered why his other one was covered. Had he maybe lost it? Why else would someone cover it up?   
  
Then, out of the blue, a thought entered her mind as she felt the tingling feeling slowly disappear. There’s no way, is there? Did this even happen outside of the wizarding community? Did _he_ know what was happening? Was it even happening though, or did she just think it was? Hermione wasn’t sure, after all, this was something she had only read about in a book. She’d never expected it to happen to her, let alone with someone who was anything but a wizard.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Damn that fucking rug. And damn him for being drunk. What the hell was she thinking though? Was she really going to run? He didn’t quite understand why, then again, his brain was really foggy.  
  
Kakashi groaned as he tried to move after falling on top of her. Something in the back of his mind told him he was crushing her, so he knew he had to move. Suddenly there was a shock going through him as she tried to push him off. What was it with that damn tingling feeling every time they touched?  
  
Placing his hands carefully beside her, he slowly lifted himself up. He noticed her watching him as he did so. As he made eye contact with her, he froze. He really did not understand what it was about her. But all logic flew out the window when it came to her and he didn’t. Understand. Why? Why her? It frustrated him. He searched her eyes, as he noticed her do the same with his. The confusion in her eyes slowly changed to wonder, which only confused him more.  
  
He couldn’t move. He tried, he really did. But it was like she had captivated him. Like nothing mattered but her. Kakashi didn’t know how much time had passed, as they looked at each other.  
His eye shifted down her face, to her lips, before darting back up to her eyes. The moment then ended abruptly by a door closing and a voice calling out in the house, “Hermione-san?”   
  
A second later, Kakashi was back on his feet, looking down at the stunned woman, as he schooled his expression. There was no need for Inoichi to see him like this. He turned to the door to greet the blond-haired man before pausing. Looking over his shoulder, he softly said “ _Please don’t do anything stupid. Stay. We’ll talk about this later,”_ before slowly making his way to the living room.  
  
“Inoichi-san.” He greeted, “what can I do for you?” He was glad he actually managed to _not_ slur his words this time around. For some reason the previous incident had definitely sobered him up substantially.  
  
“Ah, Kakashi-san, I wasn’t aware the Hokage had already informed you of the current situation.”   
  
“Informed me?” Kakashi cocked his head at this.   
  
“You-” Inoichi sighed, “you didn’t know Hermione-san would be staying here, did you?”  
  
He slowly shook his head at the older man. Was this something the Hokage had ordered? That she would be placed here, under his supervision?   
  
“Maybe you should go and get briefed then. And, well, I suggest you probably take a shower first. It seems you had quite the morning, Kakashi-san.” Inoichi said, giving him a stern look.   
  
Kakashi felt a pang of annoyance at that and narrowed his eye. He didn’t need to be judged like that. If he wanted to get drunk to unwind from a mission, he had every right to do so. “What are you doing here, Yamanaka?” He demanded, not accepting the way he was being talked to, in his own home no less.  
  
Inoichi frowned at the change of his tone but replied nonetheless “I’m here to check in on Hermione-san. I was told you wouldn’t be available for another day or two. And while I understand this is unexpected for you, I don’t appreciate you talking to me like that, Kakashi-san. Now, where is she?”   
  
“Back there.” He said, pointing towards the bedrooms. “And I don’t appreciate people barging into my house. Next time, knock before entering someone else’s property Yamanaka, and we won’t have any issues. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I apparently need to get briefed about the fact that there’s someone living in my house without my knowledge.” He stated as he flickered away. Despite the situation, Inoichi had been right. He really needed a shower, he thought as he appeared in his apartment, but not just because of the stench of alcohol that surrounded him. He readjusted his pants as he made his way to the bedroom, glad Inoichi hadn’t noticed the bulge. One cold shower coming right up.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione blinked at the speed the man had stood up. She didn’t know what to think about him. One minute he was extremely aggressive towards her and the next he’s asking her to stay? So they can talk it out? She really didn’t know what to do with that. She wondered what made him break away so suddenly, as she stood back up. Walking towards the door, she could hear voices. Ah, a visitor then.  
  
It only took her a moment to realise who had interrupted them. She honestly wasn’t sure whether to thank or curse Inoichi for the interruption. Absentmindedly she picked Teddy up, who had surprisingly enough calmed down again, after their tumble to the ground. It seemed he somehow realised nothing was really going on for him to be upset about. He turned out to be a very smart boy, that’s for sure.  
  
Holding him up to her chest with one arm, she raked the fingers of her free hand through her hair. Right, time to go great the visitor then. She walked towards the living room, where she saw the man and Inoichi staring at each other. The silver-haired man said something angrily before disappearing from sight.  
  
She watched as Inoichi let out a sigh and scratched his head, mumbling something.  
  
“Inoichi-san?” She tentatively said.  
  
He looked up right away in surprise, “Ah Hermione-san! There you are, are you alright?”  
  
Slowly nodding her head, “Um, yes, I’m fine. Are you?”  
  
“Nothing to worry about, Hermione-san, just a small argument. I assume you’ve met Kakashi, the one that owns this house?”   
  
“Yeah, I’ve met him alright.” She couldn’t help the way her voice sounded.  
  
“Not the best introduction, huh?” Inoichi asked as Hermione slowly shook her head in response.  
  
“No, he- I mean, we- well. No. It wasn’t.” She felt a blush appear thinking about what had just occurred before. She didn’t dare to look Inoichi in the eye after that, shuffling on her feet. “Um, would you like some tea, maybe? I was about to make myself some as well. I was also going to feed this man, right here, but I wouldn’t mind the company?”  
  
“Sure, I’ll have a cup of tea, how about I prepare the tea while you feed Teddy? Oh, good job on cleaning by the way, it looks great!” He complimented her as he followed her to the kitchen, which made her smile.  
  
“Thank you, I did my best, it was definitely needed,” she laughed as she carried Teddy over to the highchair and strapped him in. Grabbing a small bowl of pureed food for Teddy, she heated it up a little before sitting down and feeding him. While she did, Inoichi placed a cup of tea in front of her as he side down across from her,  
  
“So, tell me about the meeting you had with Kakashi. It must’ve been interesting if it got you to respond like that.” He said while looking at her expectantly.  
  
“Oh, right. Yeah, it was quite the meeting,” she said before explaining to him what had happened. However, she was _not_ going to mention anything about the wand. _Or_ them falling on each other, quite literally. That was something the two of them needed to talk about first. If he hadn’t already told the Hokage. If that was the case, she was still going to run, no matter who came after her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's chapter 10, folks! 
> 
> Let me know what you guys think :)


	11. Frustrations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right, I know it's been a while. I've had this chapter done for a couple of days already, but I'm not too happy with it. So if it's a bit sucky, sorry!
> 
> Hopefully the next one will come along a bit better :')
> 
> Enjoy~!

**Chapter 11: Frustrations** **  
** **  
** **  
**After his shower, Kakashi made his way to the Hokage Tower. He was still pissed off about the whole situation. While he knew he couldn’t go against the Hokage’s orders, it didn’t mean he’d just comply without at least showing his dislike. It was still _his_ house. His clan’s property. Which meant he was the only one that was able to make any decisions that had to do with it. The Hokage must’ve known that, before making this decision. So why?  
  
Arriving outside the office of his leader, he was called in right as he knocked. He must’ve been expecting him then.   
  
“Hokage-sama,” Kakashi greeted while giving a smaller bow than he usually would. He didn’t mean to be disrespectful, but his displeasure of the situation was hard to reign in. It was almost consuming him.  
  
“Kakashi, please, sit.” The Sandaime ordered, eying the silver-haired teen.  
  
Kakashi looked at the Hokage a moment longer, before slowly walking towards the chair in front of the desk, all the while keeping eye contact with his leader before he sat down. He knew he was going to get reprimanded for this behaviour, but going behind his back like that hurt his pride as a clan head, even if he wasn’t actually an active clan head. There was no way this would happen to any other clan head, it was just downright disrespectful, which is exactly what he felt. He felt disrespected.  
  
The Hokage didn’t say anything at first, just looking at him. Honestly, it was a good tactic. The emotions that were raging through him slowly settled again, making him think a bit more clearly.  
  
“Better?”  
  
He slowly nodded in response, not yet feeling ready to start talking yet.  
  
“I understand that you’re not happy with the situation. Frankly, I had hoped to explain it to you before you ran into her at your house.” The Hokage started. Kakashi had to refrain himself from raising his eyebrow. Even in _that_ situation, the choice would’ve been made for him. Not _with_ him.  
  
“The fact of the matter is that she needs to be watched, but also needs to be protected. We’ve thought long and hard about it and the best way is really to put her in a house where she can be watched by a shinobi.”   
  
“With all due respect, Hokage-sama, I understand that she needs to be watched _and_ protected. What I don’t understand, however, is why it has to be in my family home. Why this hasn’t been discussed with me prior to letting her stay in. That house is... A place I don’t want to be in. A place I don’t want anyone else to be in. And how the h-” Kakashi stopped himself, feeling himself getting agitated again. “How did you manage to get her through the wards? She shouldn’t be able to stay there without feeling the pressure of the wards.”  
  
The Hokage hummed at that. Letting Kakashi get some of his frustrations out before responding. “We had a long discussion on where to put her and really, there aren’t a lot of places she could stay. She needs to be with someone who speaks her language and knows of her unique situation. That narrows it down as to who she can stay with. And I’m sure you agree that considering everything, the rank of a mission like that is an A-rank.”  
  
Kakashi took everything that was said to him in silence, mulling it over. He noticed that the Hokage hadn’t said anything about discussing this with him. It was to be expected. The Hokage’s decision was final. And taking everything into account, he had no choice but to agree with the decision the Hokage had made. He still didn’t like it, but he knew he was right. However, that still left the question-  
  
“As for how we got her through the wards, well, honestly, we didn’t. Inoichi explained he had felt the wards after entering, which became more uncomfortable overtime. But he expressed that he hadn’t heard Granger-san about this at all. So it would seem the wards don’t have any effect on her, or the boy.”  
  
“But that’s not possible. The wards are really old. No one should be able to just waltz through them like that.” Kakashi frowned at the knowledge of that. It meant the wards definitely needed to be altered, to make sure people like her weren’t able to just enter without any issues.  
  
“Honestly, Kakashi. I’m at a loss with this as well. It seems that people like her, the wizards I mean, don’t exactly follow the same rules as we do on that front. But nevertheless, I know it’s your home and I don’t want to make this into an order. But I will if I have to, Kakashi.” The Hokage said with a firm voice.  
  
Kakashi already expected the Hokage to give him that order. He supposed he would just have to deal with it. “Yes sir. But what about my missions? I assume my team and I are still going to be sent out on missions?”  
  
“Naturally, Kakashi. Your team is too valuable to take you off the roster for something like this. So yes, you will still be going on missions, but not back-to-back. I _will_ need you here as well.”  
  
“Understood, Hokage-sama.”   
  
“Now, about the arrangements.” The Hokage started explaining everything they had told Hermione. What rules she had to abide by and what was expected of her. He also told him about the information they had gathered from her while she was in the hospital, which Kakashi filed away in his mind, it would probably come in handy later. Lastly the Hokage expressed his request that Kakashi would teach her some of their language, to make it easier for her to communicate with people if he wasn’t in the village. He also told Kakashi that she wasn’t supposed to have her wand, which was apparently the weapon she had used.  
  
As he said that she wasn’t allowed a weapon, Kakashi thought back at when he saw her at his house. She definitely _did_ have a wand. So, if she’s not allowed one, how the hell did she get that one? He didn’t want to keep this from his leader, but he figured he’d talk to her first. See where she got the one thing she wasn’t supposed to have. As for teaching her, he really did not want to interact any more with her than he already had to, so that’ll be fun, he grumpily thought to himself.  
  
“Also, she will basically be confined inside the house, unless she absolutely needs to leave. If you’re not home, another Anbu will be assigned to keep an eye on her. But if you are, it’s all up to you. Nothing changes for you. You will still keep your identity hidden from her, at all costs. As far as she will know, you are two different people.”  
  
“Of course. What’s the timeframe of the probation?”  
  
“This will be for at least a year, if it were to come to that. This, of course, would depend on our ability to find out a way to send her back.”   
  
Kakashi nodded in understanding. It was to be expected. He would have a hell of a year, that’s for sure. But it’s what they would have to deal with, there’s nothing he could do about it..  
  
“And, what of the other captives?”  
  
“They’re still confined at the moment. We found that certain seals keep them from leaving their cells, so that’s taken care of for now. We’re still gathering information, however, and also trying to figure out what it all means. Once we know more, I’ll make sure you will be briefed on that. Now, that’s all. You’re dismissed.”  
  
“Yes sir,” Kakashi responded as he stood up. He bowed before flickering away, appearing in front of his old house. He figured he’d talk with her first. He’d pack the stuff in his apartment tomorrow, to move back here. He steeled himself as he mentally prepared himself for the conversation they were going to have. There were many questions he had. But he also had to be sure not to give his identity away.   
  
Letting out a sigh, he walked inside, feeling the wards. The wards let him know no one was there, but he knew that wasn’t true, as he noticed Hermione and the boy sitting in the garden. He stayed silent as he watched her play with him. He thought about how to start the conversation he needed to have. He had realised that him being blunt wasn’t at all appreciated by her and she had no issue with telling him so.   
  
_“Dada,”_ he heard the boy say, as he looked and pointed at him. Kakashi blinked in surprise at that, before shifting his eye to Hermione, who had looked over her shoulder in response.  
  
 _“No, Teddy, that’s not ‘dada’,”_ she explained to the boy, softly shaking her head.  
  
 _“Dada, dada!”_   
  
_“Teddy, please.”_ Kakashi heard her voice waver as she tried to stop the boy, _“that’s not ‘dada’, sweetie. ‘Dada’ isn’t here. He’s- he had to-. He had to go visit your mommy.”_ She ended up saying.   
  
From the tone of her voice, it was clear she was trying her hardest not to cry. It made him wonder, though. He had gathered that the deceased man was the boy’s father, but her connection to him hadn’t been clear. Hearing her say that the man went to visit the boy’s mother, told him that she wasn’t his mother then. Not that he had expected it, she was about his age after all.  
  
 _“Granger-san,”_ he said, making her turn back to him.  
  
 _“Let’s talk.”_ He nodded his head towards the kitchen. He didn’t wait for a response, expecting her to follow his order as he turned and walked away.   
  
_“R-right. Let me just put him down first.”_ She got up, lifting the boy up as well, as she made her way to the bedroom.  
  
Kakashi entered the kitchen and grabbed the kettle to make some tea. He figured they might as well have something to drink during their talk. Maybe it would make her a bit more compliant. As he worked in the kitchen, he noticed all the cleaning she had done since she’s been here. While he didn’t mind his house being cleaned, he still was annoyed by the fact she had been rummaging through his stuff without his permission. Who knows what she’d found while cleaning?  
  
A moment later, Hermione showed up, hovering in the doorway. He didn’t look at her as she stood there, working on preparing the tea. Thinking of how he should start the conversation, she surprised him by starting first.  
  
“ _Do you need a hand?_ ”  
  
Finally looking at her, he shook his head. “ _No. Do you have a preference?_ ”   
  
_“Ah, green tea, please.”_ _  
_ _  
_Nodding, he put everything together. Grabbing both cups, he nodded at the kitchen table, silently asking her to sit as he put the cups on the table. He took his seat on one side, as she sat opposite of him, noticeably the furthest seat away from him. He lifted one hand, leaning his head in his palm. With the other, he used his finger to tap on the side of the cup, letting the silence drag on. He kept his eye on her the entire time, waiting to see what she would do.  
  
She was the one to break the silence. _“So, you said you wanted to talk?”_  
  
 _“Don’t you think we should?”_ He asked with a blunt voice and raised his eyebrow.  
  
 _“Wh- No, that’s not what I’m saying. It’s just- Earlier today, before you left you said you wanted to talk. So I thought maybe you’d want to start.”_ _  
_ _  
_Kakashi hummed. He had said that, hadn’t he? _“How about we start with the fact you’re not supposed to have a wand?”_ _  
_ _  
_He saw her freeze at that, looking at him in shock. Deciding to keep quiet, he kept staring at her, waiting to see what kind of excuse she would come up with. He noticed she was easily read by her facial expressions. She went from shock, to panic, to nervous and ending with determination. Oh? He thought. Let’s see what she comes up with then.  
  
 _“If you know I’m not supposed to have it. Then why didn’t you report it?”_ She said looking at him, not giving him an explanation as to _how_ she got it.  
  
 _“What makes you think I haven’t reported it?”_ He shot back.  
  
 _“So, you_ did _report it?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“I didn’t say that. But I didn’t say I haven’t either.”_ Hermione huffed at that, making him smirk. She was making it too easy for him, really. “ _How about you just tell me how you got it? I know your wand was taken from you,”_ of course he did, he was the one that took it. _“So it’s clear you’re not supposed to have one. Did you steal it back? ”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Wh-What?! NO! No! I didn’t steal it back!”_ She said loudly, placing her hands on the table and leaning forward. _“I don’t even know where you guys put my wand, so how in Merlin’s name am I supposed to steal it back?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“I’m sure you have your ways. But if that’s not your wand, whose is it?”_ _  
_ _  
_That question made her pause. For the first time since they started the conversation, she broke eye contact, looking at the table with a sad frown. She pulled her hands back towards her and started fidgeting with her hands.  
  
 _“It’s Remus’ wand.”_ She said softly. _“It was with his personal effects that were given to me after I said my goodbyes. And I know I should’ve said something, but…”_ She shrugged, staying silent.  
  
Kakashi studied her as she kept looking down, at her hands. He supposed he understood why she didn’t say anything when she found the wand. If their roles were reversed, he’d have definitely done the same thing. It didn’t excuse the fact that she withheld this information. He knew that the moment he told the Hokage about this, it would result in her getting locked up, or maybe even executed.  
  
 _“But?”_ _  
_ _  
_Hermione didn’t respond, besides shrugging again. As he looked at her, he noticed her lip tremble, which made him sigh.  
  
 _“You’re going to have to tell me. If you don’t, I have no other choice but to take action.”_  
  
 _“Look, my friend died okay?!”_ Hermione shouted, tears appearing in her eyes. _“My friend died and the only thing I have of him are his clothes and his wand. And I- when Teddy grows up, I want him to have his father’s wand. So that he at least has_ something _that belonged to his parents. So yes. Yes. I took the wand and I didn’t say anything. For him. And if that’s something that you’re going to imprison or kill me for, then so be it.”_  
  
He looked at her as she was breathing hard at the end of her outburst. His brow furrowed as he not only saw the emotion on her face, but he _felt_ the hurt. The pain. He stood abruptly, placing his hands on the table as he kept his eye on her.  
  
“ _What are you doing to me?”_ He demanded, totally bypassing everything she had just said.   
  
_“What? What are you talking about? I’m not doing anythi-”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Don’t lie to me!”_ He interrupted, raising his voice. _“What the hell are you doing to me to make me feel all this?!”_ _  
_ _  
_Hermione stood as well, taking on the same pose as him, _“I_ don’t know _what you’re talking about!”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“I don’t believe that for a second. First the feeling when we touched. Now this? I’ve never had anything like this happen to me_ ever _.”_  
  
 _“Well, I’m sorry about that,”_ she replied curtly, standing straight. _“But I really don’t know what you’re talking about. If that’s all you wanted to talk to me about, I’ll go back to my room. I don’t need to listen to you talking to me like that.”_  
  
Kakashi felt like he was about to burst in anger. There’s no way she doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Just no way. In his anger he picked up his cup and smashed it against the wall. Biting back a shout, he clenched his fist and walked out of his house, slamming the door as he left. Fuck her. A second later he appeared on the training grounds, headband moved up to reveal his Sharingan, the Raikiri chirping in his hand as he tore through a tree. He didn’t stop there, working himself into exhaustion as he kept on destroying everything on the grounds.   
  
He was just so _done_. Done with this whole situation. With being forced to become a babysitter after all, to give up his house for that. To be forced to _stay_ in said house. He knew he was a tool, that all he was good for was to follow order and complete missions. But did they actually have to go this far?  
  
And that woman. He felt so much frustration and anger when it came to her, with everything she made him feel. He didn’t care that she claimed she didn’t know. They both knew that she did know. She knew exactly what was happening but instead decided to lie and pretend she didn’t. He could see it in her eyes, she was a _really_ bad liar.  
  
Not long after he started letting himself go on the training grounds, he felt his team approach. They didn’t interrupt him as he kept on going, ignoring them. They were probably there to make sure no one else decided to be a hero and bother him as he was in this mood. Not that anyone was that stupid. That’s what he’d like to think. But of course, there was someone that was exactly _that_ stupid. Of course there was.  
  
Not a second after he finished that thought, he felt someone behind him approach him. Not as enthusiastically as he normally would, but it would seem the guy did have at least some common sense.  
  
“I’m really not in the mood, Gai.” He called out, not bothering to face him.  
  
“I’ve noticed, Kakashi.” Oh? He must realise he wasn’t joking around if he didn’t even call him his rival this time around, or even start spouting nonsense about his youth or whatever.  
  
“Then why are you here?” He turned his head towards the man who was once again dressed in his green spandex, eyeing him over his shoulder.  
  
“Am I not allowed to be here?” The man asked, instead of answering.  
  
Kakashi sighed in response, shaking his head and looking up to the sky. Couldn’t he just be left alone? “You can do whatever you want, Gai. Just don’t get in my way.”  
  
He turned back again, fully intending to continue wearing himself down. A second later, he ducked, narrowly missing the leg that Gai swung at his head. As he crouched, he turned before kicking up towards Gai. Soon after, they were trading blows, left and right.   
  
Out of nowhere Gai's fist made contact with his cheek, sending Kakashi halfway across the field. Groaning, he blinked dazedly at the sky. Apparently his rival didn't let him have a break, as he charged right at the silver-haired teen.   
  
He jumped up and did a quick backflip, dodging the blow the green beast had aimed at him. Raising his arms, he got into position and braced himself for Gai's attack which came a moment later.   
  
Both teens started going faster, hitting and kicking harder until they were a blur. While Kakashi had a lot of rage to work through, he wasn't planning on losing to him. Not without putting up a good fight. Of course, he set himself up to lose, as he had already exhausted himself before Gai had arrived.   
  
Not even five minutes had passed, before his longtime rival managed to land another hit, this time with his shin against Kakashi's head. He flew towards a nearby tree stump, hitting it with his back as the impact made his body curl backwards before falling to the ground on his stomach.   
  
He stayed down, catching his breath as he felt his whole body ache. God, Gai never held back, did he? He might have even cracked a rib, he thought as he felt sting in his chest every time he took a breath.   
  
"You done now, rival? Or do you want to keep going?"   
  
"N-no," Kakashi managed to breathe out. "I'm good."  
  
"Alright. Come on then, let me help you up."  
  
He turned his head, glancing at his friend with both eyes. Before closing his left eye and slowly nodding, "yeah, okay." He twisted his arm to lift himself up, before reaching for the outstretched hand that was offered to him.   
  
As he got dragged onto his feet, he felt he couldn't properly stand, so decided to lean against the tree stump instead. "Gai," he started, as he looked at the teen who just royally kicked his ass. "Thanks."  
  
"Of course, my friend. I felt the killing intent you emitted, so I figured I'd come and check. Make sure you were alright. You want to talk about it?"   
  
"No." He really didn't. He didn't even know what was going on. So how the hell would he be able to talk about it? Looking up at the sky, he noticed it had darkened considerably. Feeling the exhaustion set in, especially with his Sharingan exposed during the fight, combined with the alcohol consumption of that same morning, he started to long for his bed.   
  
  
"If you're sure." Gai relented. He knew how stubborn Kakashi could be after all. "You know where to find me if you change your mind."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
He was tempted to just go to his apartment, ignoring his house and its new occupants entirely but he knew he couldn't. He'd definitely be reprimanded by the Hokage if he did that. If he wasn't already getting reprimanded for his actions just now. Losing control like that wasn’t something that usually happened to him. Not to mention he left his house while he was supposed to keep an eye on them.  
  
Back to the house it was, he thought with a sigh as he steadied himself. He checked his surroundings and was surprised to learn his team was no longer there. They probably figured he was in good hands with Gai. Which he was, so they weren't wrong with that assumption.   
  
"You'll be okay getting back?"   
  
Instead of replying, he nodded. Placing his hand on the man's shoulder in thanks, before using his last remaining chakra to body flicker back to the house.   
  
He stumbled through the door, barely managing to take off his sandals, as he slowly made his way to his room. As he walked through the house, he passed the kitchen where the source of all his current problems sat eating dinner.   
  
In the corner of his eye he saw her look at him in shock, probably from the state he was in. A moment later, the shock vanished from her face as she continued to watch him, now with an unreadable look on her face. Deciding to just ignore her, he kept walking, making his way towards his room.  
  
Kakashi slowly looked around the room as he closed his bedroom door. He really wanted to take shower, but he had no towels, toiletries _or_ clean clothes here. He'd do that tomorrow, in his apartment, as he still had to pack his stuff anyways. Yeah. Tomorrow. Closing his eyes, he drifted off. 


	12. No Communication Is Communication Too

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> First: I want to, again, thank you guys so much for all the kudo's, bookmarks and comments! I know I said it a few chapters back, but it still makes a tremendously happy to see that you guys seem to like this story :D
> 
> Also, I know it's been a few days again, sorry! Life's been hectic, as I'm sure it has been for everyone. Plus, I've deviated from my original ideas completely, which is also why they're coming out a bit slower.
> 
> Still hope everyone's been staying safe by staying at home as much as possible. Keep it up! We can do this!
> 
> But, to give you guys something to do: Chapter 12 is here!
> 
> Hope you enjoy! xx

**Chapter 12: No Communication Is Communication Too  
  
** **  
**Hermione couldn't believe the guy. He seriously needed to learn how to communicate properly. After she had left the kitchen, he had stormed off to Merlin knows where, slamming his door on the way out. She was seething. What gave him the right to demand answers like that? Frustrated, she sat down on the bed.  
  
Okay, _sure_ , she could've told him about her theories of what had happened. But it didn't make sense. Because those shocks she had gotten… If the books are right, and they usually are, then she should only feel this way with one single person. But so far, she's felt it with two. So it couldn't possibly be a soul bond. If it wasn't a soul bond, however, then what was it?   
  
She should really try to see if she's feeling the same sensation with other people. Maybe that's what's happening. People here have a different energy, after all. So, that could explain it all. Hermione figured she could test this theory on Inoichi, if she saw him again. That’d answer the question for her.  
  
Letting out a sigh, she looked down at herself. After all that cleaning, _and_ the arguing, she could really use a bath to relax a bit. She grabbed her bag and took out a clean shirt and jeans as well as undergarments. Checking on Teddy, she noticed he was awake. He could definitely use a bath too, she figured. Might as well kill two birds with one stone. Smiling at the boy, she lifted him up as he started babbling.  
  
She walked to the bathroom down the hall. When she was cleaning, she noticed there was a bathtub, which actually came in handy in this case. “Alright, let’s get the tub filled up.” She said as she closed and locked the door. She didn’t want any unwanted visitors while she was in here. She turned on the water, feeling the temperature to make sure that it wasn't too hot for the boy. Satisfied that it wasn't too warm, she undressed herself and then Teddy as well.   
  
"Ready to take a bath, bud?" She said, getting a laugh in response. She smiled again as she carefully lowered him into the water. Letting him get used to the temperature, before stepping in herself. Hermione grabbed a washcloth and slowly but meticulously cleaned his small body. Once she was satisfied that he was clean, she cast a simple spell to keep him afloat as she cleaned herself.   
  
Knowing it wasn’t a good idea to keep Teddy in the water for a long period of time, she allowed herself about ten minutes of relaxation before climbing out, drying herself off. Teddy was still happily floating around in the water, as she finished dressing herself. “Okay, time to get out. You must be hungry, huh? I’ll check the kitchen in a bit to see if there’s something I can make for us.”   
  
While Teddy wasn’t old enough to talk back, he did seem to pay attention whenever she spoke to him. It also really helped her, not feeling as alone in the house. In the village even. Man, she couldn’t wait until he was able to talk with her. At least she would have someone to talk with about magic and the world back home. He wouldn’t know anything about it, so it was up to her to educate him properly.   
  
Having dried and dressed Teddy, she drained the bathtub and collected the used towels and their dirty clothing, putting them in the hamper that stood in the corner. “Upsy-daisy,” she said as she lifted Teddy back into her arms.  
  
Walking into the kitchen, she placed Teddy into the highchair as she looked in the fridge for anything she could use. Grabbing some ingredients, she put them on the counter and took out her wand. Kakashi already knew she had a wand, so she might as well use it, momentarily forgetting there was also supposed to be an Anbu keeping watch outside until after she took it out. It didn’t matter now, did it? With a flick of her wand, she made a meal for both her and Teddy within a few minutes.   
  
They had nearly finished eating, when she heard the front door open and close. A moment later, a totally dishevelled and beaten up Kakashi appeared in the doorway of the kitchen. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. What the hell had happened to him?! It was even worse than with Harry and all his shenanigans. Did their argument really anger him this much? If it did, it would be a hell of a stay here.   
  
Without a word he turned away and walked off, causing Hermione to let out a huff. He was _way_ worse than Harry and Ron. A second later she heard a door close, indicating he went into his bedroom. Well, suits her just fine. She didn't really want to see or talk to him at the moment anyways. Not that she knew what to say to him is they did decide to talk. She turned to Teddy and cleaned his face and hands, before grabbing their plates and put them in the sink.   
  
She took Teddy out of the high chair and took him to the living room. She glanced around to see where she could put him down so that he could play. Choosing a corner, she took her wand out of her back pocket and quickly conjured a play mat and put him on it. Conjuring a small stack of blocks, Teddy started playing which gave her time to do the dishes.   
  
Once she was done, she quickly checked on Teddy who was still playing. Making her way towards their room, she grabbed the book she bought on Metamorphmagi and brought it with her to the living room. Sitting down on the old couch, she tucked her legs under her and leaned on the armrest as she put the book on her lap and turned the cover. Checking the index, she skipped past the Animagi, Werewolves and other shapeshifters until she found the chapter she was looking for.   
  
Of course she wasn’t entirely clueless when it came to Metamorphmagi. She actually learned quite a bit when Tonks had explained some of it to them. She knew the standard information, basically, which was the ability to change their appearance at will. As far as she knew, there weren’t really any limitations, although she wasn’t entirely sure if they would be able to turn into an animal, like Animagi could. She really just wanted to figure out if there was some information on the _how_ , so that she could explain it to Teddy once he was old enough. If needed, of course. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a lot of information in the book. It seemed the ability was quite rare then, if there was so little information on them.   
  
Letting out a sigh, Hermione softly closed the book while glancing at the young Metamorphmagus. For now the glamour would have to do, until she figured out how to educate him on his abilities. She just hoped she was able to keep his abilities hidden from the shinobi, especially since she was supposed to stay in the same house as one. Turning her gaze towards the bedrooms, she thought about the silver-haired man.   
  
While they definitely got off on the wrong foot, she hoped that they would be able to work something out. At least to make it more manageable for both of them. Although, she would probably have to spill the beans on what she knew about what was happening between them. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to talk about that with him. With anyone, really.   
  
Without realising it, the room had started to become dark, indicating that it had gotten quite late. Teddy had also become a bit slower with playing. It was quite obvious he was tired. He had slept quite a lot since they had arrived here, but in all fairness, quite a lot had happened, hadn’t it?   
  
Hermione stood up, tugging the book under her arm while bending down to pick Teddy up. “Time for bed, bud.” She said to him, getting a whine from him in response. Yeah, it was definitely time for bed for him. She lifted him up and sniffed his bum, ugh, okay. First he needed a change.   
  
As she walked into her room, she put him on the bed, placing the book on the nightstand. Grabbing the necessary items, she started undressing Teddy, placing his clothes in a pile so she could fold it later. She grabbed both his legs with her left hand, raising his bottom so she could place a towel underneath, just in case. She then proceeded to remove the diaper, wiping his bum and put on a new diaper. Quickly dressing him in his pajamas, she put him down in his crib.   
  
Stifling a yawn, she grabbed the dirty diaper and put it in the trash can, before changing into her last remaining old tshirt and shorts. Hermione hoped she’d be able to sleep, as this was the first night in this house. She usually had a little trouble falling asleep in strange places, particularly places where she didn’t feel completely safe. This house unquestionably fell into that category. Turning to Teddy, she placed a soft kiss on his head. She then climbed into her bed, pulling the covers over her shoulders. After about an hour she finally drifted off.   
  
  
  
\-   
  
  
  
If you would have told Hermione a few weeks ago that she’d quite easily gotten used to living in a different world, she would have laughed until she cried. It was weird to think it was so simple to get used to living somewhere where there were no wizards and more importantly no friends or family.  
  
Although, one of the reasons it was so simple was because she barely saw the owner of the house, Kakashi, nor did she manage to speak to him. The morning after their fight and him walking in all beat up, they hadn’t actually spoken a word. He had left before she had even woken up, not leaving a note or anything at all. It frustrated Hermione quite a bit. She didn’t want to deal with animosity. If anything, she needed a friend here and while Inoichi was a friend, it would be better to have a friend she would be able to speak to on a regular basis. Especially since he would be helping her with learning the language.   
  
But, no. She had barely seen the guy. Every morning he had left the house before she had even gotten up and most of the time he came home after she had gone to bed, if he even came home at all. The only evidence she had was used cups and bowls he would leave loitering around. In the beginning she just left them, not wanting to be some kind of maid. But as the days progressed, he didn’t clean it up either, the stack of dishes only growing and growing.   
  
You would think the last straw would be when she woke up today to find no clean plates, bowls _or_ cups, she had no choice but to do the dishes then. However, it wasn’t. The last straw actually was when she found out he had eaten the last remaining vegetables, which she had prepared the night before for her and Teddy. Hermione had definitely been annoyed at his childish behavior before. Now, however, she was seething.   
  
He had left the house, leaving no food, no money and no way to reach him so that she could go out to go to the market. She also didn’t think it would be a good idea to reach out to the Anbu that was supposedly stationed outside. Merlin, it wasn’t even that she was angry because she wasn’t able to eat. It was Teddy that had nothing to eat now, either. Was he so much of an arsehole, that he didn’t care about that?   
  
Biting the nail of her thumb she thought about the options she would have. Seeing as she had no money, she wouldn’t be able to actually go to the market. It would seem the only safe option would be to call the Anbu in. Steeling herself, she went into the garden. She figured this was probably safer than calling out to someone in the middle of the street, no matter how secluded this house was.   
  
“Um, excuse me? Anbu-san?” She hesitantly called out, looking around for any movement. After waiting a moment, she sighed. Really? They wouldn’t even come out when she called? Obviously, this wasn’t an emergency. Well, it was, but not a life-or-death kind of emergency. Shaking her head, she turned to walk back inside, when she bumped into a hard body. Biting back a yell, she almost fell back but two hands quickly reached out and steadied her.   
  
“Can I help you?” A muffled voice asked.   
  
Hermione looked up at the person she had bumped into, and saw a cloaked figure with a white mask, as expected. The mask actually looked quite familiar. She could’ve sworn she’d seen it before. Also, it was definitely a man, judging by his voice. She wondered if there were any females in Anbu at all.   
  
“Ah, yes! I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you.” Hermione replied, which made the man chuckle.   
  
“I didn’t think you would, no. I’d be pretty amazed if you had, heh. Anyways, why did you call?” Hermione blinked at him in surprise. His English was surprisingly good, almost as good as Kakashi, Inoichi and the Hokage. She was sure he wasn’t Kakashi though, she didn’t feel anything when she bumped into him. That knowledge made her frown a little, actually. Because she _had_ felt it with-   
  
“-iss?”   
  
“Sorry, I must’ve zoned out a little.” She softly shook her head. “I called you because I’m in a bit of a pickle.”   
  
The Anbu cocked his head, “a pickle?” He asked.   
  
“Yes, see, there’s no food anymore. And while I don’t mind skipping a meal, I _do_ have to feed a small child. So, I really need to go to the market.”   
  
“That’s no problem, as long as you don’t disappear, you’re allowed to go to the market.”   
  
“I can?” Hermione looked at him in confusion. How did she not know she was allowed to leave the house? She was going crazy, being cooped up inside.   
  
“Yes? Didn’t bo- Uh, Kakashi-san tell you?”   
  
“No. He didn’t.” She bit out in anger. Of course he didn’t. Really, she shouldn’t be surprised, should she? All he did was make her life even more difficult.   
  
“Right, well. If that’s all, I’ll-”   
  
“Actually, no. While it’s nice to know that I’m allowed to go outside, I can’t actually get any food. I haven’t any money.”   
  
“...”   
  
Hermione looked at the Anbu as he stayed silent for a few moments.   
  
“Did, um, did you hear what I said?” She hesitantly asked.   
  
“Oh, I did hear you, don’t worry.” He scratched his head, “alright. Come on, I’ll take you to the market. I’ll lend you some money.” He said as he turned to walk inside.   
  
“Wha- But, how am I supposed to pay you back? I mean, from what I gathered, I receive an allowance, but I haven’t gotten anything yet.”   
  
“I know,” the Anbu said with a sigh. “Don’t worry. I’ll sort it out for you.” A moment later, Hermione could’ve sworn she heard the man mumble something.   
  
“Right, well. I still have to wake Teddy up and change his diaper. Do you mind waiting for a few minutes?”   
  
“I’m going to be here either way,” he said with a chuckle and a shrug.   
  
“Oh, right. Of course. I’ll be right back then.” Hermione made her way to the bedroom where Teddy was still sleeping, softly shaking him to wake him up.   
  
“Good morning sweetie, let’s get you all settled so that we can make a trip to the market, what do you say, huh?”   
  
Half an hour later Hermione carried the toddler in her arms as she walked towards the market. The Anbu was no longer in sight, but she knew he wasn’t far. He had given her the directions towards the market and some money so that she could get food for her and Teddy. She felt a bit anxious walking outside, especially since she hadn’t been outside since she moved into Kakashi’s home, besides the garden, of course.   
  
It wasn’t that hard getting to the market, which she was grateful for. It was a very straightforward route and the market wasn’t actually that far from the house. As she reached the first stall, she found that there were a lot of foods she didn’t know. She’d definitely have to try some of them at some point but decided to play it safe for now, only choosing things she recognised.   
  
While she knew she stood out, looking nothing like the locals, the people browsing the market didn’t act like it. It made her feel like less of an outsider. She didn’t speak the language yet, aside from a few words Inoichi had taught her. But, the vendors were quite nice and simply wrote down the numbers of what she was owed. Smiling in thanks, she took the plastic bag that was handed to her.   
  
Making her way back towards Kakashi’s house, she noticed a man staring at her, with wide eyes. Was he actually wearing a green jumpsuit? His bowl cut and thick eyebrows stood out even more as she glanced at him from the corner of her eye. Softly shrugging to herself, she continued to make her way back to her temporary home.   
  
Hermione reached the home in no time, getting used to her surroundings and not having to think about where to go every step of the way. Right before she entered the house, she heard a loud gasp and shout, making her turn around right away in shock. Her eyes widened as she saw the same man with the green jumpsuit. Did he follow her? Why would he do that? Is he a threat?   
  
A second later she was quite sure he _wasn’t_ a threat, however. Hermione looked at the man in confusion, with a raised eyebrow, as she saw tears streaming down his face. He had his fist raised in the air and was shouting something she didn’t understand. The only thing she _did_ understand was a name. Kakashi’s to be exact. Did he know Kakashi?   
  
Suddenly the man was gone, she looked around in fear, thinking he would appear out of the blue to attack her.   
  
“Don’t worry, he left.” Was suddenly heard from behind her, which made her shriek and jump a little. “Ah, sorry, Granger-san. Didn’t mean to scare you.”   
  
She looked at the Anbu that had appeared out of the blue. “Maybe next time appear in front of me?”   
  
“You sure that won’t scare you as well?”   
  
Hermione let out a huff, shaking her head. She unlocked the door and walked inside, leaving the door open in case the Anbu decided to come in which he did.   
  
“So, you got everything you need?”   
  
Small talk, huh? Hermione thought. It was weird how one moment she never exchanged a word with the Anbu that guarded her, and the next he was in the kitchen with her making small talk. She smiled at that, “yeah, I did actually. Thank you again for helping me out.”   
  
“Of course, anything for a lovely young lady,” he responded and she could swear that if she could see his face, he’d be smirking. She decided not to respond to that comment. People flirting with her, how rare it may be, was one thing. But people wearing an animal mask flirting with her? No, thank you. That was just _weird_ .  
  
"Right."   
  
"Anyways, I'll leave you be, Granger-san. My shift ended at nine. See ya!" He said with a mock salute. She watched him turn around to leave the kitchen. Before she turned back to the counter, she watched him pop his head back in the kitchen. "Oh, just a friendly reminder that Hokage-sama summoned you for a meeting at eleven o'clock. Don't be late, hm?"   
  
"Wait, what?" She said, looking at him in shock. "What do you mean, don't be late? I didn't even know I was summoned for a meeting." Hermione frantically started moving around in the kitchen, noticing she only had an hour to feed Teddy, make herself something to eat _and_ get to the Hokage. Plus, she didn't even know where to go. "How am I even going to get there? And _where_ am I supposed to go?"  
  
"Wow, geez, calm down. Kakashi-san is going to take you, obviously. Didn't he-"  
  
"Of course he didn't! And how exactly is that obvious?! I haven't seen the guy in days!"   
  
She couldn't believe this guy, nor Kakashi. How in Merlin's name was she supposed to adhere to the rules given to her, if the one responsible for her didn't say anything to her?   
  
"Try and calm down, Granger-san. It'll be fine. The Hokage Tower isn't that far, he'll be here in time, don't worry." The Anbu said with his hands up, trying to stop her from freaking out.   
  
"Easy for you to say," she mumbled, looking away. She was really trying her hardest to keep it together, to make sure she and Teddy were alright. But things like these didn't help. At all.   
  
"I know. But he'll be here. It'll be fine. Just do what's asked of you and you'll be alright. Who knows, maybe we'll even be able to go on a date, eh?" He said cheekily.   
  
"You're impossible, Anbu-san," Hermione deadpanned while shaking her head.   
  
"Just hopeful," he said with a laugh and with a wave of his hand he disappeared.   
  
Hermione let out a sigh and hurriedly started on making food. Half an hour later she managed to feed Teddy and get him ready, while having a quick bite herself. She anxiously kept glancing at the clock, fidgeting the whole time. Where was he? Honestly, she didn’t want to be late to this meeting.   
  
Ten minutes before her meeting would supposedly start, she heard shouting and a door slamming shut. A second later, the door was slammed open again and the shouting continued. Looking towards the hallway, an exasperated Kakashi entered the living room, followed by the man she'd seen at the market, who seemed to be furiously shouting something at Kakashi. Hermione incredulously looked at the pair of them before quickly standing up and addressing Kakashi in anger.  
  
"Where the hell _were_ you?!" 


	13. Coming Clean

**Chapter 13: Coming Clean** **  
**  
  
Kakashi flipped a page of the book he was reading as he leaned against a tree, enjoying the morning sun. He finally had a bit of free time in between his missions. After learning he now had a ‘houseguest’, he experienced some issues with sticking to his routine, which made his performance on his missions a bit less. His team hadn’t mentioned it, but still. In all honesty, he figured it was best to communicate as less as possible with his new charge, leaving most of the guarding up to the rest of the team.  
  
It had multiple reasons, really. First of all, if he didn’t talk with her, he couldn’t argue with her. Also, it kept him from feeling anything that was foreign to him. And third, making it a Team Ro mission, allowed him to ignore any questioning, simple answering that they didn’t need to know anything more. It did break up the team a little, because now they weren’t leaving with a complete team, but it also gave them a bit of rest here and there.  
  
Admittedly, he maybe wasn’t going about it in the right way. She was getting angrier by the minute, no doubt, with him not cleaning up or sticking around. But if he wasn’t there, they wouldn’t be confronted with whatever it was between them and that suited him just fine. Although, it probably was a bad decision to eat the last remaining food and not leave any money. Then again, even if he _did_ leave money, he never told her she was allowed to go outside, so leaving the money didn’t really matter in his book.  
  
Kakashi let out a sigh as he felt a familiar chakra approaching. With everything going on, he was glad he had been able to avoid him up until this luck had to run out at some point. He wondered what his so-called rival wanted now. Sitting up straight and closing his book, he made way to stand up and greet him.  
  
“RIVAL!” Oh, man. He was in a mood, huh? He must be if he was using that volume.  
  
“Yo,” he held up his hand in greeting.  
  
“You have some explaining to do, rival! _So much_ explaining!”  
  
“Hm? What are you talking about?” Kakashi did not like where this was going. Not that he ever did like it when Gai came up to him like this.  
  
Suddenly Gai was on his knees before Kakashi, making him take a step back, “Uh, Gai?”  
  
“Kakashi!” He cried out, tears streaming down his face. “How could you not tell me? Are we not friends?”  
  
“What the hell are you talking about?” He asked flatly.  
  
“How could you not tell me you have this beautiful flower; a beautiful, young maiden, live with you?! I didn’t even know you were looking for someone! GAH, that’s another challenge you’ve won, without me even knowing it!”  
  
Kakashi felt his uncovered eye widen at that. No way. Surely he didn’t- But of course he did. He hated to admit it, but it was a logical explanation, especially for someone like Gai. Given his age and the fact he was the last of his clan. The council had been pressuring him to look for a wife the moment he turned eighteen, which he had no interest in whatsoever. He was perfectly fine with just living his life as a shinobi. He felt nothing for the idea of starting a family. Not that he ever would. Everyone just kept on dying anyway, so why put effort into something he was sure to lose?  
  
“No, Gai. That’s not-”  
  
“Don’t deny it, Kakashi! I’ve seen her! I’m _so_ happy for you, rival! She seems to be just right for you, from what I’ve seen!”   
  
Kakashi felt like hitting his head against a tree. Repeatedly. This wasn’t something that he could use now. Think, Kakashi, think. What was the best way to get him to back off? Well, he supposed the best way was to do as he always did. Shaking his head, he turned and walked away. He did have to make his way home soon anyways, if he didn’t want to be late for his meeting.   
  
“Kakashi! You can’t just ignore me!” He heard from behind him and he disagreed with that, because yes, he could. Suddenly, he felt Gai grabbing his arm and a second later they appeared right in front of his house.  
  
“Let it go, Gai,” he said in a flat voice with anger seeping through, as he ripped his arm from Gai’s grip. This got old, real fast. He really needed to learn to take a hint.   
  
“Rival! Do not think I will do such a thing! I will not quit until you’ve told me all about your lovely maiden!”  
  
Kakashi made his way towards the front door and opened it, not bothering to respond to Gai’s ridiculous request. Slamming the door in Gai’s face, he made his way inside. A moment later, the door was kicked open again.  
  
“Damn it Gai, take a goddamn hint, will you?” He groaned loudly, as he made his way further into his house. He was tempted to just leave and not come back. Maybe he could request a long term solo-mission. That sounded like music to his ears. “I don’t want to talk about this. So let it go, for fuck’s sake.”  
  
“If I did that every time, rival, we would’ve never become friends. So, no! You will not get out of this conversation that easily!"  
  
“ _Where the hell_ were _you?!”_ Came from his right.  
  
You have _got_ to be kidding me, Kakashi thought, feeling a headache appear with all this shouting going on. Okay. That's it. He had enough of this shit.  
  
“ _Shut up! And stop pretending you own me and this house, because you_ don't. _This is_ my _house. You’re still in our custody, so don't pretend otherwise."_ _  
_ _  
_Two gasps were heard after his outburst. It did finally shut Gai up, for which he was grateful. A small part of him wondered if Gai spoke English. As far as he knew, that wasn't the case. But you could never be sure.  
  
 _"Where's the kid?"_ He asked angrily, addressing Hermione.   
  
_"Wha-"  
  
_ _"We don't have time for this, we have a meeting to get to. So, again, where's the kid?"  
  
_ _"In his room, but-"  
  
_ He didn't let her finish whatever she was going to say, flickering to the bedroom to pick up the boy. As he bent down to grab him, he paused.   
  
"What the-"   
  
He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He could've sworn that the kid's hair was brown, quite like Hermione's. It was most definitely not anything like his, so how? He shook his head, they didn't have time for this. The Hokage wouldn't be pleased if they showed up late, and he would already have to do some sucking up for the stunts he pulled this past week. He picked up the child and shifted him in his arms, making his way back to the living room.   
  
He passed Gai from behind, shielding the child from view. He did not want another one-sided shouting match from him.   
  
_"Alright. Let's go."_ He said, as he stretched his arm towards Hermione. He braced himself for the shock that would go through them, making sure his grip wouldn't be too harsh this time around. With a poof of smoke, they disappeared, leaving Gai behind in his home.   
  
A moment later, they appeared in the hallway right outside the Hokage's office, his arm still tingling. He didn’t think he would get used to this sensation anytime soon. He glanced at the woman beside him, who was looking away from him. Softly nudging her, he held the boy out for her to take, which she did right away. Cradling him in her arms, she gave him a small nod in thanks.   
  
Kakashi turned towards the office, knocking on the door twice to announce their arrival. After a soft, but commanding "Enter" from inside, he opened the door, letting himself and the pair beside him inside the room.   
  
“Ah, right on time, Kakashi,” the Hokage greeted, turning to Hermione to greet her as well, in English.   
  
_"How have you been Hermione-san?"_ The Hokage asked, while signaling for them to take a seat.   
  
_"I've been alright, thank you."  
  
_ _"I'm glad to hear that. How do you find the village so far?"  
  
_ He glanced at Kakashi when he asked her, with a knowing glint in his eyes. Kakashi stiffened slightly in response. He knew that the Hokage had known. He mentally prepared himself for the explanation he was going to have to give to his leader. In his mind it made sense and it was definitely justified. He just hoped the Sandaime would agree with him.  
  
 _“It’s quite different from back home, but it seems like quite a peaceful village from what I’ve seen. The villagers have been very nice and helpful, for which I’m grateful.”_ She responded, which made Kakashi look at her in surprise. She stubbornly avoided his gaze and kept her eyes on the village leader.   
  
He’d expected her to just rat him out and say she didn’t know she had been allowed out until today, which was the case. Genma had informed him he had given her some money so that she could do some grocery shopping, claiming that Kakashi now owed him several drinks the next time they went out. The only thing stopping Genma from giving him a harder time was that Kakashi was his captain. But it was quite clear his decisions hadn’t been appreciated by the senbon-user.  
  
 _“I can imagine. I’m happy to hear you’ve been doing alright so far. And how have the language lessons been going?”_   
  
This time, Kakashi _did_ decide to interfere. _“We haven’t been able to get to those yet.”_  
  
 _“I wonder why,”_ she muttered under her breath, but both shinobi still heard.  
  
 _“Oh?”_  
  
 _Fuck_. Of course now she does rat him out. Couldn’t she just have shut her mouth the rest of the conversation?  
  
 _“Care to explain, Kakashi?”_  
  
He really didn’t want to explain, because he knew he couldn’t just stop at the fact they were arguing a lot. Which would mean he’d have to go as far as explaining whatever it was she made him feel, and he did not want to start talking about emotions. Especially not with the one person who could order Kakashi to take time off if he deemed it necessary.  
  
As Kakashi stayed silent, it was Hermione that decided to speak up this time. _“If I may, sir?”_ Stopping momentarily until she was allowed to continue, _“I think both of us have had some issues with getting used to this whole situation.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“I understand, Hermione-san.”_ The Sandaime acknowledged. _“Would you please wait in the hallway for me? There’s some things I have to discuss with Kakashi. Afterwards, you and I will talk. I’ll call you back in when he and I are done.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Oh, okay. Yeah, sure.”_ She said as she got up and left the room.   
  
Kakashi glanced behind him as she left the room. Turning back to the Hokage, he figured he might as well start explaining right away. Coming clean would be a lot better than making up some bogus story, which the Hokage would know wasn’t real, if the looks he had received were anything to go by.  
  
“Our communication hasn’t been that good. To be honest, there have definitely been issues. It’s as she said before, we both have been struggling with coming to terms with this situation.”  
  
“What issues?”  
  
“Well, besides the fact I’m not happy with living in the house, something happened that I don't quite understand. When I grabbed her to take her to T&I, the moment I touched her arm a shock ran through me. And not just an electric shock like with lightning style jutsu, this was something else entirely.” He looked at his hand, clearly remembering the feeling that went through his arm.  
  
“I wasn’t the only one to feel it. She felt it too, if her reaction was anything to go by. And while this isn't something worth mentioning... Honestly, I wouldn't have, only- It happened again, at the house. _And_ once more on our way here.”  
  
The Hokage hummed. He wouldn’t be surprised if his leader hadn’t heard of anything like this before. Or, maybe he had and this all had a simple, logical explanation.   
  
“Is that all? Only the shocks when you touch?”  
  
“Ah, well. No.” Kakashi started, “when we were talking last week-”   
  
He looked up as the Hokage cleared his throat and raised his eyebrows, clearly not buying it.  
  
“Okay, we had an argument.” He sighed, shifting uncomfortably. “And I- It was almost like I felt what _she_ was feeling. And when I confronted her, she denied knowing anything about it, while it is obvious she _does_ know. I must admit, it bothers me. I don’t know if she has this effect with other people. I haven’t heard Inoichi or Genma about it, but I’m fairly certain it’s just with me. Which is quite troublesome, since the first time it happened, I was on duty as Hound.”  
  
He stopped at that. He knew the Hokage was very much aware of the risks of this situation. If Hermione only experienced this with him, it would only be a matter of time before she puts two and two together.  
  
“Is that why you didn’t tell her she’s allowed to leave the house?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Because you figured that if she couldn’t go out to run into others, she wouldn’t connect those dots?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“And this is also the reason you haven't been teaching her?”  
  
Kakashi nods.  
  
“I agree. This is an issue. And this shock you mentioned, you get this when touching her skin, or?”  
  
“Not only with direct skin contact. I was wearing gloves the first time.”  
  
“Right. Okay. We’ll have to look into this, see if we have information on this happening before. Was that all, or is there anything else?”  
  
Kakashi stayed silent at first, thinking if he should mention the wand she has with her. While it was wrong to keep this from the Sandaime, for some reason he didn’t want to betray her trust, giving her the opportunity to come clean herself. Besides, it wasn't that she had used it to try and get away or attack any of them.  
  
“No, that was all.”   
  
“Alright, we’re done, then. For now, the given orders still count. While I know you’d rather not let her have any contact with others, I do want you to teach her our language.”  
  
“Yes sir, understood.” Kakashi stood up, getting ready to leave.  
  
“Okay, please get her. Come collect her in an hour. Dismissed.”  
  
“Sir.” He bowed before leaving, his mind already going in overdrive, thinking on how to make this work for both of them.  
  
As he exited the office, he looked to his left, his eye searching for the now familiar brown-haired female. He spotted her down the hall, playing with the boy that was facing her while sitting on her lap.  
  
 _“Hermione-san,”_ he called out, getting her attention. _“The Hokage is ready for you now.”_  
  
As Hermione walked up to him, he moved out of the way. _“I’ll come collect you once you’re done.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Oh, uh. Right. Yeah, okay,”_ she stammers, not looking him in the eye.   
  
What was up with her? Did she think he told on her? Probably, seeing as he never answered her inquiry whether or not he reported the fact she had a wand. That was up to her now. She had a lot of secrets, which wasn’t uncommon in this village, naturally. But for someone who was considered to be a spy, it was quite dangerous to have this many secrets.  
  
 _“Alright. See you later.”_ He replied, softly.   
  
Nodding at her before flickering away as she entered the office. Time to face the music that came in the shape of an annoying teen in a green jumpsuit. As he entered his house, he noticed his friend sitting on the couch, looking at the highchair the boy- Teddy sat in when eating.   
  
Gai looked up as Kakashi walked towards him, with a frown on his face. His eyes darted back and forth between him and the highchair.   
  
"Kakashi-"   
  
"There's nothing I can tell you, Gai." He interrupted with a sigh. "It's a classified mission. So, again, let it go. You being here already compromises the mission."  
  
The black-haired teen met his gaze with a serious look on his face. For a moment he thought there was going to be an argument, but honestly, he _wasn't_ allowed to talk about this. Gai being here was already in violation of the rules. Kakashi knew he would keep his mouth shut, but he couldn't risk him getting more information about this.   
  
"Alright." Gai said, backing down. "I apologize, my friend. I didn't mean to make this difficult for you." He stood up, facing Kakashi. "Promise me you'll tell me if you do find someone? For real?"   
  
Kakashi sighed and rolled his eye at that. "Sure, Gai. Just don't expect it to happen. I have no plans whatsoever to settle down, you know this."  
  
"Ha, you just wait, rival! There will be a time when you'll meet someone, the right one, and that person will make you eat your words. You'll see!"  
  
He gave the silver-haired teen a nod, making his way outside. Before he left, he turned back, "how about a challenge? It's been a while since we had a proper one, don't you agree?"   
  
"I can't. Another time, perhaps."   
  
"Very well. I'll think of a good one! You're not going to win this time!"   
  
"Sure, sure. Whatever you say," Kakashi said with a dismissive wave as the other teen left, leaving him alone in his own home.   
  
He sighed again as he looked around the room. He knew he hadn't been home a lot, but still the room looked properly lived in. He felt a pang of loneliness in his heart. Really, how long had it been since he lived with someone like this? His mind supplied the answer for him, thirteen years.   
  
Kakashi mindlessly made his way to one of the backrooms, one he had forbidden Hermione from entering. He unlocked one of the doors, opening it slowly. He steeled himself, taking a deep breath while closing his eyes. He wasn’t even sure why he was doing this. What was he gaining from this? Fuck if he knew. But dealing with all this and thinking about everything that’s happened, he just felt like he needed to come here.  
  
Nodding to himself, he fully opened the door and stepped inside. His gaze automatically turned to a spot on the floor. It didn’t matter how many times his father entered his thoughts. He would never forget the moment he entered this room, finding his father on the floor. Kakashi knew his father had struggled, months before he had resorted to ending his own life. Many times he had wondered if his father had thought about him. If Kakashi had actually mattered so little to his father, that he couldn’t even try to keep on living, for him.   
  
It was safe to say that Kakashi had been angry and resentful for a very long time. He felt abandoned by his father, left to deal with the aftermath of his decision. Mainly because of this event, followed by the loss of his team, he had learned the hard way that letting people close would only end in heartache.   
  
He shook his head, bringing him back to the present. It didn’t do to dwell on this. It was time to focus on the future. He had made it this far, so he might as well continue moving forward with his life. He was still against starting a family. Seriously, what was the point? Sure, he was able to continue the Hatake-clan. But was that really something worth fussing over as much as the council did? Hardly.  
  
As he turned to leave the room, his eye caught one of the photographs he had hidden away. Looking at himself when he was a toddler, he was reminded of Teddy. How was it possible that the kid had a strand of silver hair? It shouldn’t have been, he was absolutely certain there wasn’t a silver strand before, so how? Had it been a trick of the light? It’s possible, but not logical, it had only been a single strand. Not that anything that concerned her had been logical so far.  
  
He knew this was going to bother him for a very long time, unless he figured it out. Did it have something to do with this whole magic thing? But if that were the case, he would’ve seen something with Hermione as well, right? He groaned at his thought process. This was going to bother him so much. He wasn’t a genius for nothing though, he would figure it out. He _will_ figure it out.   
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there's chapter 13!
> 
> As you've noticed, it's more of an one pov per chapter kind of setting at the moment. While previously I had both Hermione's and Kakashi's pov in one chapter.  
> What do you guys prefer to read? I don't mind switching back to having both pov's in one chapter. Let me know in the comments!


	14. Learning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helloo!
> 
> Time for a new chapter!
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy!

**Chapter 14: Learning** **  
** **  
**   
Hermione was anxiously waiting in the hallway of the Hokage Tower. Should she have just told the Hokage that Kakashi had treated her like crap? That he'd been a complete asshole? Then again, what would that have solved? At the end of the day, she would probably have to go back with him and she didn’t want to make it even worse than it already was. She just wondered if he would tell the village leader about her having a wand.  
  
She didn’t know how much time had passed when the door opened again. She looked up to see Kakashi stepping out of the room and shifted her gaze back to Teddy, who was looking at Kakashi in wonder. Wait, was that?  _ Shit _ . This was bad.  _ Really bad _ . She didn’t think the glamour would be failing  _ this _ soon.   
  
“Hermione-san,” he called out, getting her attention. “The Hokage is ready for you now.”   
  
Calm down, Hermione, she told herself. Calm down. If you just stay calm, it’ll be fine. If you freak out, they’ll notice. As she stood, she lifted Teddy up, holding him in a way that there weren’t any silver strands visible. As she approached Kakashi, he stepped out of her way.   
  
“I’ll come collect you once you’re done.”   
  
“Oh, uh. Right. Yeah, okay,” she managed to say. She didn’t dare look up at him, he’d definitely realise something was up.    
  
“Alright. See you later.” He said to her in a soft voice.   
  
Before she could turn around to reply he had already disappeared from the hallway, leaving her in the door opening of the Hokage’s office.   
  
“Please close the door, Hermione-san. We’ve got some things to discuss.” The Hokage started, while pointing at the chairs across from him.    
  
Hermione made her way to the desk he was sitting at, placing herself in the same chair she had sat in before.   
  
“So, how are you, really? Kakashi isn’t here, so there’s no need to hold anything back.”   
  
She looked at him in surprise, what was she supposed to do? Tell the village leader she thought Kakashi was a rude bastard? She didn’t think that was a smart move. “Really, Hokage-sama, I’m quite alright. Like I’ve said before, we’ve had some issues with getting used to all of this, but it could’ve been worse, I suppose.”   
  
He hummed at her explanation, almost as if he expected her to stick with her previous answer. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing, though. “Very well," he started. "Anything you want to share with me?"   
  
He knew she had a wand, didn't he? Of course he did. There was no way Kakashi would lie to his leader, was there? He didn't seem to be that kind of guy. So it would probably be best to fess up.   
  
"Well-" was she really doing this? If she came clean about having a wand, there was a good possibility she'd be put in jail or something, or worse. Then again, if her assumption was correct, he already knew, so it didn’t really matter.   
  
"Yes?"   
  
"There is… There's one thing I probably should've mentioned before…"  
  
"I'm all ears," he said, signaling for her to continue, waiting patiently for her answer.   
  
"I'm- No, wait. Um, when I went to say goodbye to Remus, my friend, they gave me his personal effects. And his wand was one of the things I received."   
  
As she said that, she saw the man's eyebrows rise in surprise. So, he hadn't known, then?  _ Fuck _ . She was screwed now. Stupid, stupid! She should’ve just kept quiet.  
  
"It's- I know I should've said something right away. I know that." She started explaining, "it's just that… His personal effects are the only things I have of him, now. And well, it's the only thing Teddy has now, too."  
  
Hermione looked at the boy on her lap, freezing when she saw another silver strand appearing. Shitshitshit.   
  
"A-and, um, s-since I don't know how long we'll be here, I really wanted to keep these items with me." She stuttered.   
  
"What's wrong?"   
  
"W-what? No, nothing's wrong!" She flinched at the squeaky tone that came out of her.   
  
"Mhm, if you say so.” He said, clearly not believing her, “so you've had this wand for the duration of your stay at Kakashi's home?"   
  
"Yes, I have."  
  
"Okay, I'll be blunt, Hermione-san. Why haven't you attempted to attack us, or attempted to leave? I was under the impression that you needed a wand to do so. Was I wrong?"   
  
She should've expected this question, but it still caught her by surprise. He had a point though, why hadn't she left? Honestly, that was easily answered. Same as the question why she hadn’t attacked them. She didn't know where to go and she had no reason to attack them. And from what she had learned so far, there was no easy way to go home. So should she really risk the protection this village offered?  _ And  _ she didn’t speak the language. There was a good chance no one outside of this village spoke her language.  
  
"And where would I go, Hokage-sama?" She asked him in return.   
  
He chuckled in response. "Fair enough. It would be safer for you here, yes. However," he began. And that made Hermione's heart beat faster. What was he going to decide? "While I understand your reasoning, lying to me isn't the smartest thing you could do."  
  
Hermione looked at her lap once more, holding Teddy just a bit tighter. Her mind whirled with different outcomes, quickly deciding what to do. Her bag was pretty much packed, so with Remus' wand on her, she would easily be able to go to Kakashi's house and grab it before running. It would be easy enough, simple in and out.   
  
" _ But _ , I am pleasantly surprised that while you had every opportunity to leave or attack us, you haven't. And because of that, I'm willing to give you another chance."   
  
"What?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing. They weren't going to do anything?   
  
"I'm giving you another chance. We will continue as discussed before. Same rules pretty much apply. However, I'll let you keep this wand for now. Don't make me regret it. Furthermore, Kakashi will start teaching you, for real this time. I expect you to abide by these rules and will not do anything to betray my trust in you, am I clear?"  
  
"Y-yes. Sir. Crystal clear. I promise I won't let you down."  
  
"Good. Now that that's taken care of, I assume you have been using this wand, yes?"   
  
Hermione slowly nodded at him. She couldn't believe what had happened. She did not expect the conversation to go like this. She really thought she would have to run.  
  
"Can you tell me something about what you've used it for? I must admit, I am quite curious what you can do with it."   
  
"Oh! Well, honestly, I've only used it to help with the cleaning of Kakashi's home. And sometimes with cooking. It makes it quite easier to do so," and so she started explaining, without giving away too much, what she had done with her wand. She wasn't going to say anything about the glamour, however. Even though it seemed to be failing. She'd have to look into that. It would be extremely troublesome if the glamour fully disappeared when someone else was nearby.    
  
  
  
-   
  
  
  


The hour Kakashi had to wait went by in a blink of an eye. After showing Gai out and reminiscing about the past, Kakashi devised a plan on how to figure out what was up with the kid’s hair. Looking at the clock, he decided that the Hokage should be done by now, flickering to the tower. He ignored the Hokage’s secretary as he arrived in the hallway of the tower, knocking on the door.  
  
Hearing an “enter”, he opened the door and noticed the relaxed atmosphere in the room. The conversation went alright then, he assumed. “Hokage-sama” he greeted as he walked in. They did seem to be still conversing, however, “do you want me to come back later?”  
  
The Hokage gave him a look and replied in English, “ _no, we’re done. Thank you, Kakashi._ ” His leader then turned to Hermione. “ _Remember what we’ve discussed. I’ll see the both of you again next week. Dismissed.”_ _  
_ _  
_Kakashi nodded and watched Hermione stand up, giving a small bow as she was restricted by Teddy. She then walked up to him, but he kept his eye on Teddy at first. He didn’t see a strand of silver now. How odd. Shifting his gaze to her, he asked if she was ready to go.  
  
 _“Yes, ready when you are,”_ she said  
  
He slowly reached out to her and put his hand on her shoulder, a moment later they were back in the living room of his home. He glanced to the side and saw Hermione looking around.   
  
_“Where’s your friend? Or, well, I’m assuming he’s your friend?”_ _  
_  
Kakashi turned to her in surprise, who was she talking abou- Oh, right. “ _You’re talking about the guy in the green jumpsuit?_ ” He asked to clarify.  
  
“ _Yep, that’s the one. Peculiar fella, isn’t he?_ ” She replied in a joking matter, which made him raise an eyebrow. Was she seriously trying to joke with him? Well, she wasn’t wrong.  
  
Kakashi snorted, _“that’s putting it mildly. The guy is an idiot. But to answer your question, I sent him home.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Ah right. Well, anyways. I should go feed Teddy, since it’s lunchtime. Do you-,”_ she stopped herself. _“Um, do you want to join us for lunch?”_  
  
 _“Lunch?”_ _  
_  
 _“Ah, yeah, I got some groceries at the market this morning. I could easily make you something as well, if you want? I’ll just have to change Teddy’s diaper and feed him, but if you don’t mind waiting?”_  
  
Kakashi stayed silent for a while, carefully thinking about what decision to make. Normally he would’ve said “no” right away, but not now. After all, he wanted to find out more about whatever it was that was happening to Teddy. In order to do that, he’d have to spend more time with him and in order to do _that_ , he’d have to interact with Hermione in a more civil manner. _“How about_ I _make lunch while you take care of him?_ ” He offered, no doubt shocking Hermione by offering this option.   
  
_“Oh, yeah, sure. I’ll, uh- I’ll be right back then. I won’t be long.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Take your time, Hermione-san.”_ He said as he headed up to the kitchen. Kakashi checked the items in the fridge and what was on the counter, selecting a few vegetables for lunch. He washed them and then grabbed a cutting board and a knife. Hermione appeared in the kitchen as he was slicing the last bit into thin slices. Grabbing a frying pan, he put it on the stove. Throwing in the veggies, he looked at her over his shoulder. _“I hope you don’t mind eating stir fried vegetables?”_  
  
 _“That’s fine,”_ she said as she walked into the kitchen and put Teddy in his seat. She moved around in the kitchen as he kept his focus on their lunch, carefully moving the frying pan around.  
  
 _“Okay, bud, open up for me,”_ he heard her coach the boy.  
  
 _“Na, na!”_ The boy cried out. Guess someone didn’t feel like eating, Kakashi thought.  
  
 _“Come on, Teddy, don’t be like this. Just a few bites.”_   
  
_“Na!”_ _  
_ _  
_Kakashi glanced over his shoulder and saw the child looking at him. He blinked a few times, before-  
  
 _“Dada!”_ Oh no. Not this again. He didn’t look like his father at all, so why would he think Kakashi was his father? On the other hand, he couldn’t really blame the kid. It’s not like it’s his fault. He probably doesn’t even realise what’s been happening, he’s still so young.  
  
 _“No, Teddy. Not ‘dada’. Kakashi,”_ he heard her explain. _“His name is Kakashi.”_  
  
 _“Dadaa!”_ _  
_ _  
_Kakashi turned the stove off and put the food on two plates. As he turned around, he watched Hermione sag in her chair, lowering her hand. She looked completely worn out. It actually made his heart clench.  
  
 _“Dada. DADA!”_ _  
_ _  
_Kakashi swiftly moved towards her and carefully took the spoon out of her hands, lowering himself in front of Teddy. He ignored Hermione staring at him, keeping his focus on the boy. He knew the kid had to eat, but whatever she was doing obviously wasn’t working at the moment.  
  
 _“Open up,”_ he softly ordered, putting the spoon to Teddy’s lips. A pair of eyes looked at him in surprise and wonder. His lips then slowly parted, as he kept his eyes on Kakashi, allowing Kakashi to put the spoon in his mouth. _“There you go. Here’s another one.”_ He repeated the process several times, until the bowl was almost empty and Teddy started shaking his head, indicating he was full.  
  
He got up and put the bowl in the sink, grabbing the plates for himself and Hermione. Putting one plate in front of her, he took a seat across from her and started eating. She looked up at him for a second, before also starting on her plate. He appreciated her keeping her eyes down or on Teddy, giving him the opportunity to eat. And while he could care less what the kid saw, he quickly finished his meal as he would when surrounded by his team.  
  
Once they were done, Hermione took Teddy to her room for a nap and he started on the dishes. He figured they might as well get started on the lessons, thinking of the best way to teach her. It was probably best to let her decide on what to learn first, before diving in all the way.   
  
_“Oh, I was going to do that, since you made lunch.”_ He heard from behind him.  
  
 _“That’s alright. I figured now would be a good place to start on those language lessons, so it saved us time if I did it.”_ He pointed at the table for her to sit down. _“I’ll grab some paper for you. Have a seat. I’ll be right back.”_   
  
He moved past her towards the room at the back of the house. As he heard her grab a chair to sit down, he quietly made his way towards her bedroom, slowly opening the door as not to scare the child. He was still awake, gazing up at Kakashi. Looking at his hair, it was brown. But as he kept looking, however, he noticed a few hairs turn lighter, it was barely noticable and honestly he wasn’t even sure what he saw was real. One’s hair colour didn’t just change like that, did it?  
  
This only fueled his determination to find out what was going on. But with a subtle change like this, he couldn’t confront Hermione with it just yet. He lifted a finger to his lips, telling the boy to stay quiet, as he made his way outside again. He couldn’t stay away too long, otherwise she’ll become suspicious, no doubt. With a pen and paper collected from his room, he made his way into the kitchen.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione refrained from pinching herself, to check if she was actually dreaming. What the hell was going on here? She stayed silent as Kakashi went back to the counter, where their food was already plated up and picked up both plates and put one in front of her. Keeping her eyes on Teddy, she watched the boy keep his eyes on Kakashi. Honestly, this could get quite problematic. If he took a liking into Kakashi, there was a chance he would want to spend more time with him, but now, with the glamour not working properly. Damn. She would have to think of a different way to go about this.   
  
Half an hour later, they had both eaten. Hermione had respectfully kept her eyes on her plate or Teddy, so that Kakashi could eat as well. She noticed Teddy watching Kakashi though, making her wonder if he was bothered by that. Probably not, otherwise he would have eaten in another room, no doubt. After they had finished, she had taken Teddy to bed and returned to the kitchen, fully intending to clean up, but the silver-haired man had already done so.  
  
“Oh, I was going to do that, since you made lunch.”  
  
“That’s alright. I figured now would be a good place to start on those language lessons, so it saved us time if I did it.” He stated, gesturing to the table for her to sit down. “I’ll grab some paper for you. Have a seat. I’ll be right back.”  
  
She didn’t even get a say in it, huh? But again, what was up with him? This was a complete one-eighty from last week. She supposed she shouldn’t complain, he would finally be teaching her their language, which would make it so much easier to communicate with everyone in the village. Moving to the table, she pulled out a chair and sat down, waiting for Kakashi to come back. Surprisingly, he took his time before he appeared in the kitchen.  
  
“Alright, so, to start off, is there anything specific you want to learn?” He asked as he placed some paper on the table, along with a pen and shoved it towards her.  
  
“Um, well, I guess I would start with the greetings and sentences that would help me at the market? I’m guessing I won’t be doing any interaction besides that for the time being. Oh! And maybe also how to say ‘I’m sorry, I don’t understand?’ or something like that?”  
  
Kakashi hummed in thought and nodded, “yeah, that’s a good place to start. We’ll start with the greetings. I’ll explain how to say it, maybe it’s a good idea to write it down phonetically?”  
  
“Yep,” she said, picking up the pen and placing the paper in front of her, ready to write it down. “Alright. I’m ready.”  
  
The next two hours they spend with Kakashi teaching Hermione the basics of his language. Focussing on the things she wanted to learn first. At the end of their session, she was able to properly greet someone and know some of the numbers, for when she went shopping. She was actually happy to have learned this much in such a short amount of time, even Kakashi seemed surprised at her progress after just one lesson.  
  
“Not bad, I didn’t expect you to actually get this far.” She figured he usually didn’t praise anyone, so she’d take what she could get.  
  
“Thanks, I appreciate it,” she smiled. “Well, I should go wake Teddy up, otherwise he won’t sleep tonight.”  
  
“Right. I’ll leave you be, then.”   
  
Kakashi got up from the table and gave her a nod, disappearing to the back of the house. She wondered what was back there. Kakashi had, not so kindly, made it clear that she wasn’t allowed back there, but she couldn’t help but be curious about what it was that he was hiding.  
  
She stood up, gathering her notes and made her way to the bedroom. Teddy had already woken up and was babbling at nothing, waving his arms around, making Hermione laugh.  
  
“Aren’t you a bundle of energy? Let’s get you out of bed so you can play some more. It’ll give Auntie Hermione time to do some more reading.”   
  
“Mai-mai!”  
  
“Oh? Trying to say my name, huh? I think it’s a bit difficult for you, bud. But, I suppose trying to say “‘Mione” is better than nothing.” She chuckled softly.   
  
“Mai!”  
  
“Yeah, yeah, come on.”  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione sighed as she closed the book she was reading. She should’ve known. Remus’ wand wasn’t as compatible with her as her own was. So naturally, the spells she would cast, wouldn’t be as effective. This did explain why the glamour she put on Teddy wasn’t sticking as it should. That did make things a lot more difficult for Hermione. It would mean she would have to cast the glamour regularly in order to keep Teddy’s abilities hidden from the shinobi. _And_ she'd have to do it _without_ anyone noticing.   
  
She shifted her gaze towards the clock and noticed it was almost dinner time. She should get started on dinner, she thought as she stood up. Teddy seemed to be entertaining himself for the time being, so she quickly dropped the book off, hiding it in her bag and thus keeping it out of Kakashi's sight. Thinking of the teen, she debated whether or not she should ask him if he wanted to have dinner as well.   
  
Going with the positive flow of the day, she decided she would. Asking couldn't hurt right? Making her way to the back of the house, she wasn't sure which door to knock on at first. All of them were shut tight. The one at the far end seemed to be the one he was at, as a dim light was seen from under the door. Softly knocking, she called out, "Kakashi?"   
  
Hearing no response she knocked again, only this time a bit harder. Still no response. Again, she tried calling out to him but after waiting for a few minutes, still nothing. What should she do now? Leave it be and don’t ask him, or should she open the door? Making her decision she took a nervous breath in and turned the handle and slowly opened the door, only to reveal… nothing. There wasn’t anyone in here.   
  
Looking around, there wasn’t much here to begin with. Hermione noticed a few picture frames and scrolls lying around. Glancing at the floor, she noticed a spot that was a bit darker than the surrounding area, making her wonder what caused it. Stepping further into the room she noticed that everything in the room looked quite old. She had thought this before but she didn’t think Kakashi had actually lived here before, for a really long time at least.   
  
Suddenly the door to the room was shut, making her jump up in shock. Hermione whirled around, an apology on her lips. However, while she expected to see Kakashi, it wasn’t him. Her eyes locked on an animal mask, one she hadn’t seen before. She didn’t keep her eyes on the mask for long, however, because in his arms was Teddy, crying.   
  
“What are you doing? Let him go!” She yelled, as she reached out for him. She didn’t get far as her world suddenly turned fuzzy before she started to black out. The last sensation she felt was falling after they had successfully hit the back of her neck to knock her out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you guys think! :)
> 
> Comments make my day <3


	15. Bide your time

**Chapter 15: Bide your time**   
  
  
Kakashi let out a sigh as he entered his father’s old room, reaching for the lightswitch. He hadn’t been lying when he told Hermione he hadn’t expected her to do that well. It would seem she was quite intelligent, or at least was a quick study. That actually worked in his advantage. The less time he would have to spend teaching her, the better.   
  
In the meantime, however, he figured he might as well start sorting through his father’s stuff. It was long overdue, not having been here for over thirteen years. A part of him just wanted to forget what had happened but he knew that wasn’t possible. In a way, it had shaped him into the shinobi he was today.    
  
He had to admit, at first he may have gone a bit too far in doing his best to not be like his father. Kakashi scoffed at that. A bit? In doing so, he got his teammate killed. If only he had just listened right away, maybe Obito would still be-   
  
No. He had to stop thinking like that. The nightmares were already enough, he didn’t have to torture himself like this while awake as well. It wouldn’t do anyone any good, the least of all him. 

He was brought out of his musings by tapping on the window. The Anbu on the other side, skillfully opened the window and turned to him.   
  
“Senpai, we have a mission.”   
  
“How is it that you always learn about these missions first, Tenzou? You’d almost think you were the captain,” he said jokingly, turning towards him.   
  
“Come on, senpai, it’s not my fault you always manage to disappear when someone’s looking for you.”   
  
“Maa, they just don’t try hard enough, kohai.”   
  
“Alright, alright. But we do have to go. All of us are needed for this one, apparently.”   
  
Kakashi turned back towards the door, intending on letting Hermione know he was leaving, but he hesitated.   
  
“Who’ll take over watch?”   
  
“I wasn’t told who, just that it would be taken care of. From my understanding the Hokage had approved it, so I’m sure it’s alright.”   
  
He hummed in response, he’d have to find out who before he left. He didn’t just want anyone watching over his house. He was still a very private person and liked to keep it that way.   
  
“Alright, well. Give me the scroll. Can you get everyone to meet me at the training field near the facility in about half an hour?”   
  
“You got it, senpai. See you in half an hour.” Tenzou said, while handing him the mission scroll. He then jumped out of the window, leaving it open for Kakashi to follow. He looked behind him, towards where Hermione was, still hesitant for some reason. The mission came first in this case, so he would just have to assume it would be alright with whoever was assigned to watch the brown-haired woman.   
  
He jumped on the windowsill before focusing chakra into his hands to stick to the side, closing the window behind him. A second later, he flickered towards the Anbu facility. He walked through the corridors towards the locker room. Stopping in front of his locker, he started undressing himself. He neatly folded his clothes, placing them on one of the shelves and took out his Anbu equipment. This process was done while on automatic pilot, his mind already planning for the mission to come.    
  
Once he was dressed, he made his way outside, towards the training field he told Tenzou to meet him. At the same time, he was reading the scroll, slightly changing his initial plan as he read through it. They would have to gather intel on a group of mercenaries that was growing in size and could possibly become a threat to Konoha. Seemed easy enough.   
  
Kakashi only had to wait about five minutes before his team arrived one by one. Checking them all over, making sure they were all set to leave once they were done going over the mission. He nodded at every single one as they came up to him on the field.   
  
“Alright, I'll get straight to the point. Gathering intel on a group of mercenaries. Standard procedure. We’ll stay within the country, but will be going near the Tea-border, so we’ll be gone for at least a week, possibly more.” He started explaining. “Before we’ll actually get close, we’ll pick a safe spot and go over the details more. Move out.”   
  
  
  
-   
  
  
  
Hermione softly groaned as she woke up, her neck hurt like hell. What in Merlin’s name had happened? She remembered looking for Kakashi to see if he wanted to join them for dinner, but then- Oh no! Teddy! She sat up and looked around to see where she was.   
  
_ Fuck _ . What the hell was going on? They put her in a cell? So, was the Hokage lying then? She thought that he told her he’d give her another chance, hadn’t he?    
  
She slowly got up from the cot she was placed on and walked towards the bars. It was almost completely dark, the only light was from a torch that hung near an entryway at the far end of the corridor. From what she could see Teddy wasn’t near her, at least not in the cell with her. Actually, she seemed to be completely alone.   
  
Slowly reaching into her pocket, she took out Remus’ wand, surprised they hadn’t taken it from her. Surely they were aware of what she could do with it. But if they hadn’t taken it… Had it actually been the Hokage’s orders to put her in a cell?    
  
With a soft whispered “ _ Lumos _ ”, the tip of the wand lit up. Great. A dungeon. They put her in a dungeon. Of course they did. Giving a quick look around the room, she whispered “ _ Homenum revelio _ ” but nothing happened. Okay. Think Hermione. Next step. What’s the next step?   
  
A loud clang was heard a second later, causing Hermione to cast a quick “ _ Nox _ ”, dimming the light of her wand, and put the wand in the sleeve of her sweater, making sure she could easily grab it. She took a few steps back and lowered herself on the cot, waiting to see what would happen. A moment later, a door opened at the other side of the room her cell was in and the room was lit. At least they had electricity here.   
  
She heard someone slowly walking towards her. The sounds she heard didn’t make sense though, it wasn’t a normal sound of someone walking, placing one foot in front of another. It reminded her of Moody. A cane, then? Listening more closely she decided that yes, it was a cane. An older person then, perhaps? But who?   
  
Her question was soon answered, sort of. She hadn’t seen the man before since being here, but that didn’t mean it made it any less terrifying. This man was dangerous, there was no doubt in her mind about that. He stopped in front of her cell and slowly turned to her, looking at her disdainfully. Hermione wasn’t backing down though and kept eye contact with the man.   
  
It was an older man, his right eye covered in bandages and his right arm hidden away in his robe. He really seemed nothing like the kind, but strict Hokage she had met. Of course, not everyone would be like him, especially not in a village full of soldiers, which they all were essentially.   
  
“So,” the man started with a slight accent, but in English nonetheless, “you’re the female I’ve heard about. Took your time waking up, didn’t you? Don’t see what’s so interesting about you, really. Tell me, girl, what makes you so special that Hiruzen decided to let you stay in our village?”   
  
Hermione stayed silent, feeling that was the safest bet in this case. She recognised the name Hiruzen and immediately realised that no, the Hokage was not behind this. But this man obviously knew the Hokage well enough to call him bij his first name. Either that, or he had no respect for his leader whatsoever.   
  
“Not going to talk, hm? Very well. We’ll get it out of you. We have ways to persuade you, little girl. I’m sure you haven’t forgotten about your son, hm?”   
  
She frowned and clenched her jaw at that. Son? They thought Teddy was her son? It made some sense, for anyone not knowing anything about her arrival and all that, but it was also worrisome. It would mean they would definitely try to use him to get her to talk.  _ Damnit. _   
  
_ “Prepare the room. We  _ will _ get her to talk. If we need to use the boy to do so, we will.” _ _   
_ _   
_ Hermione fought extremely hard to make sure nothing would be read from her facial expressions. Obviously they weren’t aware that she had learned a little bit of their language. She couldn’t understand everything fully, but she knew enough to realise he was talking about Teddy and her. The man didn't waste any time, did he?  
  
_ "Yes, Danzo-sama,"  _ was heard from a few yards away, she couldn’t see anyone besides the man though.   
  
So, his name was Danzo. Good to know. She'd have to keep close attention to what they were saying. Even if she only knew a little, it would have to be enough to prepare herself for anything coming her way.   
  
Danzo kept his eyes on her for a long time, analysing every single movement, as if that would tell him everything he needed to know. She still didn’t back down though. A small voice in the back of her head said she was crazy, and she kind of agreed. But she had a feeling that showing weakness would be even worse.   
  
Without another word the man turned and left the way he came, taking the other figure  _ and _ the light with him, as they left the entire room dark. Not that it mattered, she could create some light without an issue. She just didn’t have a clue as to what would happen to her. Hell, she didn’t even know how long she’d been here already. Hadn’t Danzo said “took your time waking up”? So, it really started to bother her. How long had she been unconscious? And where were they keeping Teddy?    
  
  
  
-   
  
  
  
Team Ro moved at a relatively relaxed pace towards their destination. Relatively relaxed for Kakashi. Which meant it still was a killer pace he set for his team. Honestly, if it were up to him, they would be going full speed. Something just didn’t sit right with him, but he couldn’t for the life of him figure out what it was.    
  
Taking breaks along the way, it took the team about two and a half days to get to their destination. With some luck, they'd be back in three, maybe four days, depending on how easy it would be to gather the intel. They couldn't rush it, however. It was imperative that the information they were gathering was correct.   
  
During their trip, he was actually glad for the distraction his team offered. Shisui and Yugao were bickering like an old married couple, Genma kept throwing comments at the pair that would make even Jiraiya blush. And Tenzou kept his mouth shut, which was probably for the best. That kid had a weird mind sometimes.   
  
Kakashi signaled them to gather around, so that he could further explain what the situation was.   
  
"Okay, we're dealing with a gang who call themselves "Namae no nai kyōdai ai". They've been growing in size, which is causing some concerns."  
  
"Nameless Brotherhood? Really?  _ That's  _ what they came up with?" Genma scoffed. "What? All the good ones were taken?"   
  
"Focus, Shiranui."   
  
"Sorry, Boss. But come on. There's no way you're not thinking the same thing."  
  
"What I think about the name doesn't matter. Nor does it matter what  _ you _ think. What  _ does _ matter is that we need to gather intel, fast. It's important that we find out what they're about and how to stop them from growing even larger."  
  
"Question!" Shisui piped up, raising his hand and successfully turning the attention to him, "what's the info we have so far?"   
  
"What we know is that they've been harassing the neighbouring villages. It was relatively harmless at first. Some burglaries here and there."   
  
Kakashi rolled out a map of the area, pointing at several spots. "These are the villages that have been hit before. Seeing the pattern, it would seem the location of their base would be somewhere around this area," he said, pointing towards another area.   
  
"While at first it was just simple bandits who were responsible for these burglaries, now it seems there are defected chunin and jonin who have joined their ranks, which means the gang is getting more and more dangerous."  
  
"The plan, for now, is to just observe and gain intel that way. Once we have enough intel, another plan will be made for infiltration. So we have to make sure our intel is solid."  
  
After relaying the information to his team, he divided them in three teams, assigning each team to a different location. Yugao and Genma would go to the north of the supposed location of the base, Tenzou and Shisui to the southeast and Kakashi would summon his pack and would then head to the southwest.   
  
They would observe their locations for six hours, looking for any patterns or other information. After that it would be decided if they had enough, or more observations were necessary.   
  
"Meet back here in six and a half hours. Don't be late." Kakashi ordered, looking at every single one of them. "Move out!"   
  
Kakashi waited a moment as he watched his team disperse, before summoning his pack.   
  
"Yo," Pakkun said with his gruff voice. "Been a while, kid."  
  
"I know. I had wanted to summon you sooner for some training, but something came up."   
  
"What do you need?"   
  
"Need to do some surveillance and gather intel. Could use a few extra pairs of eyes and ears. Follow me."  
  
Kakashi sprinted off, followed by his ninken, arriving to the southwest of the enemy's base.   
  
"Spread out, don't be seen."   
  
"You got it," the pug said. "How long?"  
  
"We're meeting up with the rest in six and a half hours. Make it count."   
  
The entire pack, save for Pakkun, left to scout the area. Kakashi looked around and jumped up when he found a good spot to stake out in, the pug following his lead, sitting down next to him.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione had no sense of time while sitting in the cell. She opted for trying to ask one of the guards that brought something that barely resembled food but he either couldn't or wouldn't answer her, because all she got was silence and a glance from an eerie-looking mask.   
  
Maybe next time she could try to greet them, saying good morning, hoping that if she was wrong, they'd correct her. She wasn't sure if she would understand their answer, though. She couldn't not try this. Maybe if she got them talking, she'd be able to figure out something about Teddy.   
  
Her stomach churned thinking about him. She was  _ so _ worried about him. Since she arrived here, she barely spent any time away from him and not knowing where he was freaked her out. She hoped they'd at least be human enough to properly take care of him.   
  
She heard a metal clang signaling the arrival of one of the guards. A second later the lights in the dungeon were turned on, revealing the same masked figure she had seen before.   
  
" _ Goodmorning, _ " she tried, hoping she pronounced it properly.   
  
The guard briefly paused his movements as he lowered the tray with food, before setting it down. " _ Good afternoon,"  _ he corrected softly with a nod as he shoved the tray towards her.   
  
" _ Um, where?"  _ Hermione tried. She really didn't know enough to ask him with a full sentence.   
  
The man shook his head and said something that sounded like " _ no _ " but she couldn't be sure. He stood up and walked away, leaving the lights on so she could eat. This happened with the previous meal as well. The moment they collected her tray, the lights were turned off again.   
  
Hermione glanced down at the tray and made a face. She couldn't understand people actually ate this stuff. It was absolutely horrendous. However, this was all she was getting. And between eating this or nothing at all, she knew it was best to at least eat something. She needed the energy to stay sharp, especially if she was going to do what she was planning.    
  
She knew she got three meals a day, at least she got that much. But that did help her to get a sense of what time it was, roughly. The next meal would be dinner and then breakfast. Counting the meals she has had so far, she realised it had been about a day and a half since she woke up. There was no way of telling how long she’d actually been here however. She hoped it hadn’t been that long.   
  
With all this time she had with nothing to keep her busy, her mind was working nonstop. Subject of the hour: Kakashi. Was he aware of what had happened to her? Was he the one behind this? He wasn’t at home when she was taken, otherwise he would have prevented it, right? Right? He was acting less like an arse the last time they’d spoken. But she would’ve expected him to at least let her know if he had to leave.   
  
Hermione sighed as she shoved the tray of food away, no longer hungry. She sat on the cot and pulled her knees towards her, wrapping her arms around her legs, softly rocking herself. She couldn’t believe she was actually thinking it, but she missed him. Sort of. Hell, she missed any kind of contact, really. Well, any type of  _ normal _ contact. The contact she’d had with the people here thus far was anything but pleasant. She could definitely go without that.  
  
The door on the far end of the room opened, which she was actually waiting for. They’d always give her half an hour to try and eat the disgusting food before taking the tray away again. She took a deep breath in and tried to keep her heartbeat under control. She could do this. She  _ had  _ to. For Teddy.  
  
She fumbled with her sleeve, where she kept the wand. She focused on the spells she wanted to cast, focused on the incantation. There were two spells she would need to cast if she wanted more information. ‘Come on, Hermione,’ she told herself. ‘You’re the smartest witch of your generation, you can do this.’   
  
Hermione looked up as the same masked man came down to her cell. The moment he turned his head towards her, she already had her wand pointed at him and with a quick “ _ Legilimens _ ” she entered his mind. She didn’t need to understand their language, as his visual memories would be enough. She just needed to know where Teddy was.    
  
She was quick to find the memories she needed, surprising herself with her efficiency at using the Legilimency spell. It didn’t matter, she got what she needed. As she left his mind, she noticed him stiffen before reaching behind him to no doubt attack her. Not today, bud, she thought.   
  
With a flick of her wand, she erased the memories of her invading his mind, and him seeing her use her magic. After she used the charm, she changed his memories to make it seem he had gotten distracted by something vague. His mind would fill in the gaps to make it more real. She gave a small sigh of relief as he was disoriented by her actions, giving her an opportunity to put the wand away. She didn’t expect to use this charm again. The last time she had done so she had used it on her parents, erasing herself from their memories to protect them.    
  
The man stopped in front of her cell, looking at her with a cocked head, as if trying to figure out if she had done anything. She tried to keep her face as passive as she could, not giving anything away. She may not have been a shinobi like him, but this is something she could at least manage after years of getting into trouble with Harry and Ron.   
  
Without a word the tray was taken away, the guy walking away with one backwards glance, before turning the lights back off. The door sliding shut was the last thing she heard. She wouldn’t see anyone until the next day. Not that it mattered. She got what she needed. Teddy’s location  _ and _ how to get there. She was relieved to see he was alright. The only issue now was finding out when to go. It would have to be soon. There was no way she was going to stay here any longer than necessary. They would find out what it meant to cross a witch. Especially a Gryffindor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, a few of you were on the right track, which was great to see, but it's not over yet!
> 
> Let me know what you guys think! I love reading your comments and reading your theories. Keeps things interesting for me as well :')
> 
> Stay safe and until next time!
> 
> xx


	16. Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helloo~~
> 
> So, I'm a bit impatient, so I'm posting this chapter while it hasn't been fully checked, so I apologise in advance for any mistakes.
> 
> That being said, I hope you like it and stay safe!

**Chapter 16: Escape** **  
** **  
** **  
** Something was wrong. It was getting clearer by the second that something was majorly wrong. Had she screwed up? Maybe the charm she cast hadn't worked as it should? It was already clear the spells she used didn't work as well as they did with her own wand. So there was a perfectly good chance it didn't stick.   
  
How did she know something was wrong? Well, that was quite easy. The patterns she had found had completely changed. She had gotten a rough idea of when she was getting food, giving her an opportunity to figure out what was morning, afternoon and night.   
  
It had all changed however. Either she lost track of time, or they switched up her mealtimes, majorly. And she hadn't ‘seen’ her guard again. The entire time she had been here, it had been the same one, but the next morning he had been replaced. The biggest change however, was the most obvious one. They didn’t turn the lights on when they brought her meals.  
  
Hermione narrowed down her options to either waiting it out and see what would happen, and break out the next time they came to collect her tray. And honestly, waiting it out wasn't really an option either. Who knew how long she would be waiting. There weren't a lot of other things she could do, were there? Well, she could apparate away, but she needed to get to Teddy first. And from what she had seen, it seemed like there was some sort of barrier surrounding him.   
  
The now familiar clang sounded, indicating that someone was coming to see her. She didn’t think it was any food this time around, it had only been a short while since she had eaten. As the lights turned on, she braced herself. This definitely wasn’t normal. Instead of the usual guard, there were now three of them walking towards her cell. What now?   
  
They opened her cell, two of them stepping inside, as the third stayed back. Not a word was spoken as they signalled her to stand up and turn around. She didn’t do as they asked, she wasn’t an idiot. Turning her back on someone like them? Yeah, that’s not going to happen, she thought, as she stood her ground. Her decision of standing her ground might not have been the best one, as the two guards in her cell took on an attacking stance.  
  
One swiftly reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her towards him as he turned her around. The second one produced a bag and pulled it over her head, ensuring she didn't see anything.   
  
"Let me go!" she shrieked while trying to twist free from their grasp. "You're hurting me! LET GO!"  
  
She heard them talk to each other, but couldn't discern what they were talking about - they were talking too fast. With a quick, hard pull she stumbled backwards. An arm was thrown around her neck, cutting off her air supply. She tried to pull the arm away, but it wouldn't budge.   
  
"Pleas-" she couldn't even get a single word out. The lack of oxygen made her light-headed and she felt the strength in her hands lessen. "D-don't," she tried to say, but lost consciousness shortly after.   
  
When Hermione woke up she was in another room, sitting in a chair. She was surprised to find herself just sitting there. They didn't even strapped her to the chair. Did they really think she wouldn't be able to break out? She scoffed at the thought. The only thing stopping her at the moment was Teddy. But as soon as she found out where exactly he was, they were leaving.   
  
Slightly moving her wrist, she felt for the wand she had hidden in her sleeve. Merlin's beard. We're they idiots? They had no idea who they were dealing with, did they? Wait. They had no idea who she was. Would that mean the Hokage didn't know about this?   
  
She glanced around the room as she sat there. There was another chair in front of her, behind a table. To her right was a door and to her left a screen.  
  
She braced herself as she heard movement from behind the door, anxiously waiting to see what would happen. As the door opened, her eyes widened in shock. There was no way. Was he behind this? Or was he here to save her? What the hell was happening?   
  
  
  
-   
  
  
  
“You know, boss. I was expecting a bit more excitement when you summoned us,” Pakkun grumbled as he stifled a yawn.   
  
The silver-haired teen glanced to the side, before focusing his attention back to the road he was watching. “You could’ve easily swapped places with any of the others, Pakkun. They offered, you refused. So stop whining.”   
  
“You’re right, kid, but then I couldn’t ask you the question I’ve been meaning to ask you.”   
  
“Ask me what?”   
  
Pakkun stayed quiet, causing Kakashi to turn his head to the pug. Kakashi didn’t push the pug for an answer. After all these years he learned to just wait it out. He didn’t have to wait long before he spoke, though.   
  
“Have you met someone?”   
  
“Have I- What?”   
  
"Have you met someone?" Pakkun repeated.   
  
"Where is this coming from? You've never asked me this before."  
  
Pakkun looked at him, his eyes unreadable. He then came a bit closer, before sniffing Kakashi. The silver-haired teen frowned at this behavior. Pakkun knew what he smelled like, didn't he? So what was this about?   
  
"Your smell is different. It's still you, obviously, but there's another scent as well."  
  
"Pakkun, you do realise that I've been traveling with a team? Of course there are different scents." Kakashi deflected.   
  
"Don't act like I'm an idiot, brat." The pug replied with a flat voice. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. So. Anyone I know?"   
  
Kakashi rolled his eyes at his ninken, of course he would notice. He should've taken a quick shower at the Anbu facility before heading out, to wash her scent away. It's not like they had touched, but scents linger. He should've known the pug would notice.   
  
"No. No one you know."   
  
"Hm, you sure about that? It smells somewhat familiar."  
  
Kakashi stayed silent after that, not giving any more information. He'd already given him too much information by not denying he met someone. Why did everyone seem to think they were together?   
  
It wasn't like that though. Just because he was forced to live with a woman, didn't mean automatically they were together. He suppressed a shiver at the thought. Hermione and him? Honestly, he couldn't see himself with anyone. It was for their best interest. Anyone who got close to him died, so it was better this way. He didn't need anyone else. He was fine on his own.   
  
Kakashi shook his head, it wouldn't do to dwell on this. He had a mission to focus on, it was already taking up way more time than they had initially expected. After their first shift it was clear they wouldn't be able to gather all the necessary information in just six hours. Luckily they would be done after this shift. There were enough issues going on that needed to be addressed.  
  
  
Flashback (few hours ago)   
  
_ Kakashi walked towards his team that were gathered around, nodding in greeting. A moment later the ninken appeared as well.   
  
_ _ "Good, we're all here. Report."  
  
_ _ His team and pack shared their findings on the organization. It soon became quite clear that the situation was a lot worse than they had first thought. It would take more than just a single observation.   
  
_ _ Kakashi split the team and the pack in two. One would rest and write reports on the findings, while the other would scout. Shift changes happened every six hours, to make sure everyone stayed sharp.   
  
_ _ To ensure the teams were equally divided, he put two extra dogs with Genma and Yugao. Okay, it might not have been equally divided, but Pakkun and Bull were adamant on staying with him and he knew they would prefer the down time without the others.   
  
_ _ He knew Shisui wasn't happy that he didn't get to spend time with Yugao, as he would on other missions. And he knew that the both of them would be perfectly able to keep their focus on the mission, but he wasn't taking any chances. Yeah, the kid wasn't happy, if the vibe he was giving off was anything to go by.   
  
_ _ "Shisui, a word?"   
  
_ _ He led the Uchiha away from the others, making sure they were out of earshot.   
  
_ _ "I don't like this attitude coming from you. Pull yourself together, Shisui."  
  
_ _ He saw him flinch, before lowering his head. "Yes sir. My apologies."   
  
_ _ Kakashi sighed. "Look, I get that you'd rather spend your time with her, but this is too important to get distracted."  
  
_ _ "I know, I know. It's just- I don't know, man." Shisui sighed. "I don't know what it is we're doing and-"   
  
_ _ "Don't." Kakashi interrupted. "I'm not the person you should talk to about this."  
  
_ _ "Right. And who do you suggest I talk to, senpai? Genma? Tenzou? Both are terrible options in their own way."  
  
_ _ Well, he wasn't wrong. While Genma was good with the ladies, he wasn't someone who did relationships. And Tenzou… Yeah, no. That's a whole different level of awkward. He still didn't think he was the right person to talk to about this though. He was no better than either of them.  
  
_ _ He wasn't a virgin, he's done enough seduction missions to be anything but. But he wasn't a ladies man like Genma. And he definitely didn't do relationships.   
  
_ _ "You're right about that," he agreed.   
  
_ _ "Great! And since you've got experience... Senpai, tell me! How do you do it?"   
  
_ _ Experience? Why would he think he'd have experience? "I'm no better, Shisui. What makes you think I have experience?"   
  
_ _ "Well, you're living with that foreigner, aren't you? The one we picked up in the woods? I had no idea you were someone that liked to move fast, but-"   
  
_ _ "Talk to someone else when we get back." Kakashi interrupted the Uchiha once again, ending the conversation. "Until then, I'm keeping you separated as long as I think is needed."   
  
_ _ "Of course, I understand." Shisui was smart enough to know when he crossed the line with Kakashi.   
  
_ _ "Also, Shisui. If I find out that this thing between you two is compromising your ability to do your job, I am resigning one of you. Consider this a one time warning."  
  
_ _ "Yes sir."  
  
_ _ "Alright. Let's get back. It's almost time to relieve the others."  
  
  
_ End flashback  
  
  
It turned out it would take at least two full days after the first six-hours shift before they got enough information. Kakashi was satisfied with the amount of info they gathered. They'd definitely be able to formulate a solid plan for the infiltration.   
  
Kakashi was relieved the mission was almost over, meaning he could dismiss the pack, saving him from the questioning looks the pug was giving him. He never did give him any more information about Hermione. He really didn't know how or where to start. But the pug was smart. He'd eventually find out.   
  
Nearing the end of their last shift, Kakashi found his mind wandering again. He thought back to the uneasy feeling he had felt when they left. The mission had successfully distracted him from it, but now that was done, the feeling was back. He still hadn't figured out what it was that made him feel this way and while he would rather just think it was nothing, he  _ knew _ it wasn't nothing.   
  
Thinking of going back home in turn made him think of Hermione. She'd probably be livid leaning he had disappeared for over a week without saying anything. Not that he'd said anything before if he had a mission. It wasn't any of her business either way, even if she decided it was.   
  
He wondered how the meeting with the Hokage had gone. Kakashi probably wouldn't have to see the Hokage this time around, there wasn't much to report since he hadn't been home. Maybe he'd give a quick report about the language lesson, but even that wouldn't take longer than five minutes.   
  
Looking at his team, he decided they were all set, giving the signal to move out. It would take at least two days to get back home. After a mission like this, he figured they'd get a couple days off again. He could catch up on some reading. He still had to dig up the scrolls the Yondaime had given him. Maybe he could even find something that would explain why his sensei had learned English. He should probably ask the Sandaime about that as well. He could do that after he delivered his report.  
  
  
  
-   
  
  
  
Hermione looked at the man in front of her as he stepped into the room. He stayed silent as he assessed her, while she did the same. She didn’t know what to make of this, it just didn’t add up. If he was involved, surely they would know about her abilities, right? So, what? Did they really think they were that much better than her, that they didn’t need to take any precautions?    
  
If that were the case, however, they were cocky as hell. And it would definitely come back to bite them in the arse, she would make sure of it. She should’ve known that she couldn’t trust anyone here, even if they were kind to her. All they wanted was information. Especially information that was considered important. And not to brag, but her abilities surely would be seen as important.   
  
The man sat down in front of her and placed his hands on the table. The part of his face she could see was unreadable. “Hermione-san,” he started with a small nod. “I’ve been told you weren’t completely following the rules the Hokage set for you. Want to explain yourself?”    
  
He sounded off. But,  _ fuck _ . He was right, of course. She  _ had _ used magic on one of the guards. She didn’t think about what that would mean for her. Not that she wouldn’t do it again, if needed. And that also didn’t mean she was going to tell him everything he wanted to know.    
  
“I have no idea what you are talking about, Kakashi-san.” She replied curtly. “But I do have questions of my own.”   
  
“Ah-ah, you don’t get to ask any questions,” Kakashi said, while waving his finger as if scolding her. “I ask the questions, you answer them.”   
  
“I’m not answering any questions until I get answers myself.” Hermione said stubbornly.   
  
“Oh, I think you are, Hermione-san. After all, you wouldn’t want to see any harm come to that sweet boy of yours, hm?”   
  
Oh no, she thought, not Teddy. “Where is he?” She demanded, standing up. “I want to see him. Now.”   
  
Kakashi chuckled at her outburst and leaned back in his chair. He nodded to his right, her left, to the screen. His gaze then moved to the wall behind her. "He's in the room next to us."  
  
She kept her eyes on him a moment longer, quietly seething, before shifting her gaze to the screen as it turned on. It took a moment before the footage became clear, but once it did she had to hold back a sob. There he was, small Teddy. He was being held by another one of those masked Anbu, a knife at his throat.   
  
“If you hurt him,” she warned him.   
  
“Then what? You won’t talk?” He scoffed. “You weren’t going to talk anyways, so might as well give you a little incentive, no?” Kakashi stood up, walked towards the screen and pointed at the boy. “Surely you don’t want anything happening to him. He means too much to you. So, it’s very simple. Talk, and he won’t get hurt. Don’t talk and, well, you get the idea.”   
  
Hermione moved towards Kakashi, swinging her arm back to throw a punch, which was easily caught by him as he twisted her arm and pulled her towards him. As her back hit his chest, he tightened his grip on her arm, keeping her in place. She bit back a cry as his grip became painful. That wasn’t what made her pause, however. Something had been bugging her during the conversation with Kakashi.    
  
There was no spark. There was nothing like the other times they had physically touched. What had changed? But then, his accent was off as well. It didn’t sound like him. The words he used were correct, but it didn’t sound the same to her. She wasn’t sure, but were shinobi able to change into other people? Like the wizards using transfiguration, did they have a way to do that as well? There’s one way to find out.   
  
She elbowed him in the stomach, which made him release the tight grip on her arm. She yanked her arm free and reached for her wand. Kakashi seemed confused but intrigued by her actions, as she pointed it towards him. “ _ Revelio,”  _ she said, while making the appropriate hand movement _. _ For a moment, nothing happened and Kakashi raised an eyebrow at her attempt.   
  
Hermione started panicking as the seconds ticked by and Kakashi was still standing in front of her. But then... a loud poof was heard and the room was encased in smoke, making her cough. She tried waving the smoke away.   
  
As the smoke cleared, Kakashi no longer stood in front of her. Well, it was pretty clear he hadn't been here at all. In his place stood an Anbu, one she recognized. She'd seen him when that old man Danzo came to visit her.   
  
_ "What the-,"  _ the man looked at his hands in what seemed to be confusion and then turned his attention to her.   
  
"That's what you get for underestimating me, you daft idiot."  
  
Hermione straightened herself. And focused on her breathing. She needed to stay calm now. Next room, huh? She would need to take out the man that held Teddy, without injuring the boy. She could do this.   
  
The man in the room with her lunged for her. In that same moment, she disapparated, narrowly missing him. She appeared behind the man holding Teddy and before he could fully turn, she had cast the Full Body-Bind curse, freezing him in place.   
  
"Mai!" Teddy called out. The glamour she had cast was failing again, she noticed. Blue strands stood out between the brown locks. She'd have to cast it again once they were safe. There was no time to do it now. They needed to get out of here.  
  
"Hey, bud. Let's get going, huh?"   
  
Holding him tight, she turned as the door opened. She smirked at the men storming in, disappearing right in front of him. She'd been there long enough. Time to head back to the house. She needed to get her bag ready. It was clear staying in the village wasn't as safe as she first thought after all.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
"Report."  
  
"She has escaped, sir."  
  
The man turned around, looking towards his subordinate.   
  
"How?"   
  
"I- I'm not sure. The room was sealed. She shouldn't have been able to break out. This hasn't happened before."  
  
"And the child?"   
  
The masked man flinched at the tone. "She has taken the child with her, Danzo-sama."  
  
"Do we know where she is now?"   
  
"It seems she appeared a few miles to the north. Still several miles away from the village."  
  
Danzo hummed at that. If she made it back to the village, it could potentially ruin everything he has worked for up until this point. So it was important to gather as much information on her as possible. The dead body they had retrieved could only tell them so much and it would be a hassle if they were to take the others from T&I. She would have to do. And if she wouldn't cooperate. Well, what was one more dead body? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments make me happy :)
> 
> Let me know what you think! 
> 
> Xx


	17. Where?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a bit sooner than I had planned, but chapter 17 is here! ^^  
> I'm amazed with all the comments and kudo's I've been getting. Thank you all so much!
> 
> Because I've been writing so much, there's a chance there still are some mistakes in this. This chapter is one of the longest yet, so I hope you enjoy~!
> 
> Warning: There is some violence in this.

**Chapter 17: Where?**   
  
  
Finally, they were home. As soon as they were within the village’s walls, Kakashi sent everyone to the Anbu facility, stating he would give a short verbal report to the Hokage, while they started working on the written one. It would give them the time to make one complete report instead of having the Hokage read all of them. He told them he would meet them in about half an hour to help write the report.   
  
The moment he entered the tower, he knew something was wrong. The atmosphere was tense, way more tense than usual. He quickly made his way to the Hokage’s office, to see if he could assist in any way. The door opened as he arrived, nodding at the Jonin Commander, Nara Shikaku before getting called in by his leader.   
  
“Excellent timing, Hound, please close the door behind you.”   
  
“Yes sir.”    
  
He made his way towards the Hokage and knelt down on one knee, bowing his head.   
  
“We’ll get to your mission in a second. First, I have to ask. Did you go home before coming here?”   
  
The question threw Kakashi off. Home? Of course he wouldn’t go home, not while still wearing his Anbu attire, especially with Hermione there. Surely he knew that. He voiced this to the Hokage, confusion evident in his voice.    
  
“I am aware. However, I’m afraid your houseguest isn’t there.”   
  
“Then where is she?”   
  
Kakashi looked at the Hokage, more importantly at the look on his face. He wasn’t used to seeing the Hokage with his expression so grim.   
  
"Hokage-sama. Where is she?"   
  
"All the evidence we have found shows she ran away. I've had a couple of men scout the village, to check if it's true, but she's nowhere to be found."  
  
"Wh-"   
  
A knock on the door interrupted Kakashi from asking any more. As the Hokage called them in, Kakashi stood up, standing at attention. He suppressed a flinch at the voice behind him. He never did like the man, especially not after the stunt he pulled when he tried to have the Hokage assassinated. He still felt guilty for switching sides after the Yondaime died. No matter what his current leader said, he still blamed himself for that moment of weakness and distrust in his leader. He should've known better.   
  
"Ah, Danzo. What can I do for you?"   
  
"Hiruzen," the man said in greeting. "I heard that there was a captive that had escaped? I'm here to offer my assistance, if needed."  
  
As the leader of the Root organization came closer, Kakashi froze. There's no way. He clenched his teeth, making sure the older men in the room didn't notice a thing as he carefully sniffed the room. There's no mistaking it, he knew this smell. Hell, his house smelled like it, ever since Hermione lived there.   
  
He had watched her, as she used the small vile. He wasn't used to people using perfume, shinobi knew better than to use it unless undercover. And other than that, hers was a specific smell he hadn’t smelled before meeting her. But why would he smell like her? Only a handful of people knew of her existence and he definitely wasn’t one of them. This wasn’t good. If Danzo was aware of her, she was in danger. Was that why she had run?  
  
“Thank you, my friend, but I’m afraid you heard wrong. There’s no captive that has escaped.”   
  
Kakashi watched as the Hokage kept his eyes on Danzo as if daring him to say anything different. While the Hokage pretended the assassination attempt hadn’t happened, that didn’t mean it was forgotten. Kakashi knew the Hokage was very cautious when it came to Danzo.    
  
“My mistake, Hiruzen. In that case, I’ll be on my way. Have a good day.” He turned and looked at Kakashi, giving him a nod.   
  
Kakashi remained still as he waited for Danzo to leave the room, not taking any chances. He was already on thin ice when it came to him, after he betrayed Danzo and left Root in favour of protecting the Sandaime Hokage. Not to mention the fact that he had tried to take Kakashi’s Sharingan  _ and  _ that Kakashi had successfully removed Tenzou from his organisation as well. Yeah, he was definitely on Danzo’s black list.   
  
“Remove your mask, Kakashi.” The Hokage ordered as Danzo left the room.   
  
His hand automatically went to his mask at the order, not thinking about what he was doing. His mind was miles away, thinking of what all of this meant.   
  
“What worries you, Kakashi?”   
  
Oh, he had totally zoned out, hadn’t he. His arm hung at his side, mask in his hand. It was a fair question. What worried him? Well, honestly, he supposed it would be Hermione’s safety. If Danzo got his hands on her, it could pose a serious threat to the village. Her abilities were mostly unknown still, even to him, but knowing what he did he had no doubt Danzo would want her abilities.   
  
“I need to go home. You say everything points to her running. But nothing pointed to that prior to me leaving.”   
  
“Yes, we haven’t been able to check the house yet, for some reason the wards were acting up.”   
  
The wards? Why would they act up? While Hermione and the child had no issues staying in his house, he still keyed them into the wards for protection. If she had left on her own account, the wards wouldn’t act up. If someone were to break in however, that’s another story.   
  
“I’ll go check the house right away. I’ll let you know what I find.” He raised his hand, putting his mask back on. "Wait. Ah, Hokage-sama. The mission?"    
  
“Your team is working on the report, yes?" Kakashi nodded in response. "Let them deal with that. Focus on this for now. And Kakashi? Find her.”   
  
“Yes sir.” He gave his leader a bow and flickered away.   
  
  
  
-   
  
  
  
Hermione panted as she ran, completely out of breath. After appearing in a field, she saw trees in the distance and made a run for it. Right now, her number one priority was cover. Since she had no idea where she was or where she was going, she was om desperate need of a plan. There was no doubt in her mind that they would be coming for her, and she wanted to be ready when they did.    
  
As soon as she found a good cover in a hollow tree, she lowered herself to her knees, setting Teddy down. She felt bad, but she didn’t want to risk getting caught by stopping sooner to check on him. As always, he seemed fine physically but she was getting worried about him dealing with all this. He was still little, sure, but all of this had to have an impact on him.   
  
She bit back a curse at not having anything with her, save for her wand, which wasn't even actually hers meaning she wouldn't be able to fight on full strength. It would mean she would have to improvise. She could do that, of course. Her time at Hogwarts prepared her enough for that.   
  
Leaving Teddy in their small hideout, she stepped outside, wand at the ready. Looking around, she started casting defensive charms to hide them. Hermione cast everything she could think of, not taking any chances. She even contemplated casting a Patronus but didn't think she'd be able to. You needed a happy memory, one strong enough to be able to give her hope as well. After everything that has happened, however, she doubted she'd be able to.   
  
After she cast every known protective spell, she walked back towards the tree, crawling inside. Settling herself with her back against the bark, she held Teddy close to her as she felt the tears gather in her eyes. It may be childish but right now she really didn't care. She just wanted to go home. Be with her friends. She wanted to be with her family as well. More than anything really, but she knew that wouldn't be possible either way. What she wouldn't give to see them again.   
  
Hermione started sobbing, softly at first, but as the reality of everything set in, she couldn't keep them at bay anymore. Holding Teddy even closer she started shaking as the pain took over. She cried for herself, but also for Teddy. Just like Harry, he's so young, already having lost everything. Not to mention his special abilities.   
  
"Mai," Teddy said softly. "Mai?"   
  
She let out a soft strangled sob as she raised her head to look at the young boy. He raised his hand and touched her cheek, patting it softly.   
  
"Mai," he said again. "Mai hurt?"   
  
"No! No, sweet Teddy. I'm not hurt. It's alright."   
  
She softly grabbed his hand, holding it to her cheek. Giving him a soft smile, she placed a small kiss on his palm. He looked at her in wonder, his hair turning bright blue. It reminded her of Tonks. She was always easily read when emotionally distressed.   
  
"I really am okay, baby. Don't you worry your pretty little head about it. We'll be home soon enough." She just didn't know whether she meant England or her home shared with the silver-haired shinobi.   
  
When Teddy's attention had shifted to the opening of their hideout, the small smile on Hermione's lips fell. The ache in her chest got almost unbearable. She didn't know what to think or do. She was incredibly out of her league. She may be the brightest witch of her time but that meant nothing if what she was dealing with didn't have anything to do with magic.   
  
Hermione froze when she heard a voice, pulling Teddy back from the opening of the tree. They found her already? Shit. Gripping her wand, she placed Teddy as far back as she could and cast a quick " _ Silencio." _ She gave him an apologetic look and turned around with her wand ready, slowly moving towards the exit.   
  
The barrier she had created wasn't that big, only ten feet wide with the tree at its center. In this case, however, she was glad it wasn't that big. It wouldn't stand out and would be easily missed. That was the idea at least. Apparently it was noticed by the men chasing her, seeing as they had surrounded it.   
  
Hermione carefully maneuvered around the tree, counting the men that had surrounded her. She was certain she couldn't see all of them. If there's anything she had learned these past few weeks, it was that she could be watched without ever seeing anyone.   
  
Seeing as they couldn't see her, however, they weren't fully hidden from her sight. She counted three in the trees above her. No doubt there were quite a few more. But, fuck, there's no way she was going down without a fight. And she wasn't planning on losing this fight either.   
  
Hermione looked over her shoulder, towards the tree, one more time. "I'm sorry, Teddy," she whispered. Turning to look back at the men in the trees, she pointed her wand at the first one,  _ "Incarcerous."  _ Tying the man to the tree. The next one was in her line of sight, she used the same spell for him. The third one suddenly jumped away from the branch he was perched on.   
  
She watched the man signal with his hand, which must've been some type of language they were taught because it didn't make sense to her at all. It didn't matter. She knew for a fact she was still hidden from their sights. A quick  _ "Stupefy"  _ took care of him.   
  
A lump had formed in her throat. She knew what she had to do now. It was the only way. She would be able to keep her mouth shut, there was no way she'd tell them anything. But Teddy… No. She would not let them have him again. Not on her watch.   
  
Looking to her right she pointed at a couple of trees a few yards away  _ "Confringo!"  _ An explosion was heard the next moment, prompting the shinobi to turn towards it which in turn gave her time to run the other way. Quickly casting  _ "Muffliato"  _ as she went to cover up the sounds she would make as she ran.   
  
Hermione was surprised she made it as far as she did, dodging trees as she went. She didn't know how far she was from Teddy, but was certain she would be able find him. If she got the chance to do so. She prayed that she would. It felt irresponsible to do this. But she had to protect Teddy no matter what. She repeated that in her mind like a mantra.   
  
"Ah!" Her thoughts were cut short as she was smacked against the forest floor, weighed down by one of the men that had been tracking her.   
  
She watched as her wand slipped out of her hand. No! No, damnit. She elbowed behind her and was satisfied as she heard a grunt and felt the weight shift. It gave her the chance to reach out for her wand. She felt the tip of it with her fingers, clenching her teeth as she tried even harder to reach it.   
  
Come on, come on. Almost got it. Damnit Granger, grab that bloody wand, she told herself. In the meantime she kept struggling as the man holding her down started pulling her away from the wand.   
  
The grip on her left arm tightened but it didn't stop her. Trying once again to reach for it, she finally got it. Hermione immediately turned towards her attacker  _ "Depulso!"  _ sending the man flying back.   
  
She scrambled to her feet, making a run for it once more, firing spells behind her. They were ready for it though, waiting for her to start running. She skidded to a stop, out of breath as she noticed the figures surrounding her.   
  
One appeared behind her but before she could turn, a searing pain erupted in her leg as the side of her knee was kicked inwards. Hermione dropped down with a scream, her eyes squeezed shut in pain. The wand was ripped from her hands and another jammed his elbow against her cheekbone, causing her to be thrown down on the ground.  
  
She groaned in pain, feeling disoriented. With a trembling hand she reached for her cheek, her fingers softly touching her skin. Even the soft touch caused her to flinch, her fingertips feeling moist with what without a doubt was her blood. Bloody hell, this hurt. She let out a humorless laugh at the horrible pun she made. Surprised she could even think clearly enough to realise she made one.   
  
The man that had struck her down, hovered over her, seemingly assessing the damage he had done. He then grabbed her clothes and threw her over his shoulder like a ragdoll. Another tied her hands and legs together with a wire, making sure she wouldn't be able to do anything. Not that she would be able to, being as disoriented as she is, not to mention the pain in her leg and face were so bad, she wouldn't have been able to focus on anything other than that.   
  
Someone was speaking but she couldn't understand what was being said. She figured they were talking amongst themselves, so she paid no attention to what they were saying. She turned out to be greatly mistaken as her chin was grabbed roughly and a mask was in her face.   
  
"The child. Where is he?"   
  
Did they really think she was going to tell them? She'd rather have another round with Bellatrix than to tell them his location.   
  
"Screw you," might not have been the best answer to give him, if the sting followed by the slap she received was anything to go by. A sharp snap was heard, causing Hermione to look at what caused the sound, almost crying out as she watched Remus' wand get snapped in two. No. Not his wand!   
  
Whatever was said to her after that fell on deaf ears, as she lost focus. She feared that she'd lose consciousness once again with the way they handled her. A small part of her worried if this would cause permanent damage to her. Her focus was brought back to the man that had slapped her as he grabbed her hair and pulled her head back. Her mind was too far gone though. She couldn't hear anything anymore as she finally did lose consciousness.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Kakashi rushed home after the meeting. The wards around his house felt distraught. He couldn't remember the last time they felt this way, but it was a clear sign something was wrong. The moment he appeared in the house, he knew she hadn't left voluntarily. The kitchen table was set for a meal. Pots and pans were on the stove, ready to be used. Hermione was quite tidy, he had found, so this was not like her.   
  
As he made his way through his house, everything he saw pointed at his initial thought. She didn't run. She had no reason to. He moved past their bedroom and paused. Kakashi frowned to himself, he stepped back and walked into the room. He took off both of his masks and took a sniff, stiffening as the scent in the room was familiar to him.   
  
Root. This scent was of someone in Root. Shit. Fuck. He knew it. He  _ knew  _ Danzo was involved in this. He was too late. If he had her, there was no way she'd get out of there alive.   
  
"Damnit!" he said, hitting the wall in frustration.   
  
He turned around to follow the scent, leading him to the back room, where the light was still on. What were they doing here? Were they actually looking for him, finding her and the boy instead? Kakashi glanced around and answered his own question. No. If they had, they wouldn't have left any traces in his home. She was the one to come into this room first, no doubt looking for him.  
  
He bit back a curse and put his facial mask back on, taking his Anbu mask off. He knew he wouldn't be able to go as Anbu. This was personal, breaking into his home. So he might as well go in his normal jonin gear. Not that it'd matter to him. He would take them down no matter what.   
  
Changing into his jonin uniform he then wrote a note to the Hokage and summoned his pack.   
  
"Yo," the pug started, his attention turned to the house they were standing in, sniffing the air. "No one I know, hm? You know you can't fool my nose, Kakashi."   
  
"Not now, Pakkun," Kakashi bit out. "Memorize the scent." He told the pack. "I want them found."   
  
The dogs set to the task, walking around the house, making sure they got the scent memorized.   
  
"Pakkun, I need you to bring this to the Hokage. I then need you to go to the Anbu facility and gather the team for me. No Anbu uniforms. This isn't an official mission."  
  
Pakkun looked at Kakashi for a moment, taking in what he saw, before nodding and accepting the note.  
  
"You got it. I'll be quick."  
  
With a nod Pakkun went off, leaving Kakashi to address the rest of his pack.   
  
"Let's go. Time is of the essence."  
  
Kakashi sprinted out the door, making his way to the outskirts of the village. The pack had dispersed, finding out where the attackers had gone. A short howl was heard in the distance and Kakashi slightly changed his direction to follow the sound.   
  
They flew through the landscape, moving at top speed. He wasn't fully rested, so he knew he should probably slow down a little, he wouldn't be able to go this fast for very long. But this distressed feeling kept him going. He  _ had _ to find her and the boy. He was done losing anyone else.   
  
Within half an hour of running at top speed, he reached a small forest several miles from Konoha. As his pack slowed down, so did he. He took the chance to sniff around, his head whipping around as the familiar smell of Hermione's perfume filled his nostrils. He followed the scent through the trees, before suddenly stopping.  
  
Kakashi wasn't sure what made him stop, but the pack was surrounding one tree, whining as they scratched the ground. He moved closer, fighting against the feeling of wanting to turn around and ignore this area. It was a weird feeling, one he had felt once before. When Hermione had hidden the boy from view as she fought one of her attackers that had brought her here.   
  
That's it! She must've hidden herself and the boy, and it wouldn't surprise him it if she put the same kind of barrier around herself. Signaling the pack to stay put, he kept walking towards the tree, that looked completely normal. But as he inched closer, he felt an almost physical barrier trying to hold him back. He pushed forward and almost fell over as the barrier fully disappeared.   
  
Where there was a perfectly normal tree, now was a hollow-looking tree. Lowering himself to his knees, he crawled into the small hole, fully alert for any attack that may occur. Instead he found a small boy, looking like the one that had lived in his house for the past several weeks… But not quite.   
  
His hair was blue. Bright blue. What in the world? He was seriously doubting his senses as he looked at the boy, who had his eyes closed. He shifted his leg, causing the boy to wake up, with bright blue eyes staring at him. Kakashi wasn't looking at his eyes though. The kid's hair went from blue to red to… Silver?   
  
_ "Shi!"   
  
_ Kakashi blinked at that. What the fuck was happening here? While his eyes told him one thing, his nose confirmed this was the same boy that had been living with him.   
  
_ "Shi! Mai!"   
  
_ Mai? Wait, he had heard this before. The boy had called Hermione 'Mai' hadn't he? But how in the world was he supposed to ask a boy this young about details?   
  
" _ Mai hurt _ !"   
  
_ That _ brought him out of his musings. 'Mai hurt?' Damn it. Where was she?!  
  
_ "Come on, Teddy." _ He said, reaching for the boy.  _ "Let's get you out of here, hm? We'll go find her, okay?"   
  
_ He successfully coaxed the boy towards him, holding onto him as he crawled back outside. Holding the boy with one hand, his other grabbed a kunai, marking the tree.   
  
His ninken gathered around him, Bull spoke up this time, "Her scent goes that way, followed by several others. There's also blood. But her trail ends there. It seems they used Body Flicker to leave."  
  
"Fuck. Her blood?"  
  
"It would seem so, yes."  
  
"Spread out in the area. Track the other scents. They must've come from somewhere. I want to know where. Go!"   
  
He watched as his ninken disappeared, each in another direction, tracking the scents of the men that hunted Hermione down. The scent in the tree was fresh, fresh enough for him to track. The one leading to the forest was quite old. The only reason they had been able to track it was because the smell of her perfume was quite strong.   
  
Kakashi knew for a fact that there was no way she would've been able to survive on her own in the forest. Not without food or water. So what the hell had happened? If she hadn't been in this forest the entire time, where had she been? He hated not knowing.   
  
" _Shi_ ," a soft pat on his cheek made him look down at the boy. The boy was now donning silver hair and dark eyes, just like him. He almost dropped the boy in shock. What the hell was he, to be able to do this without him noticing? He hadn't felt a thing! It was eerie as fuck. Once he found Hermione, she had some serious explaining to do. It was time she spilled the beans.   
  
He walked towards where Bull had said they had found blood. It turned out she made it quite far before being captured again, if the trail of destruction was anything to go by. He froze as the smell of her blood hit him, easily spotting the spot where she'd been thrown down.   
  
There wasn't a lot of blood, which made him feel quite relieved. Just a small injury then. He had to give it to her. She may not be a shinobi like him, but she was a fighter, no doubt. And with that wand of hers, she'd be able to defend herself quite well.   
  
_ "Shi!"  _ He turned to look at the boy, who pointed at the bloodtrail on the floor. Small fingers kept pointing at the spot, his small head turning to meet his gaze insistently.   
  
He looked at the boy and back to the ground, now spotting something else besides the blood. Shit. This just got a whole lot worse. Kakashi walked towards the spot on the floor, carefully bending down and picked up two small branches. Not just any kind of branches, though. No. This was the only thing helping Hermione defend herself. The wand she'd been using. And if she didn't have this anymore he feared that if they didn't hurry, she wouldn't survive what was coming next. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much I enjoyed writing it! :D
> 
> You know the drill, let me know what you think! <3


	18. Rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies! We've arrived at chapter 18!
> 
> I honestly can't believe I've written this much in this time frame, not to mention the response I've had from you guys!  
> I've said it before but I'm sooo happy that so many people are liking this <3 This means the world to me!
> 
> Anyways, on with the chapter! Made some last minute changes that haven't been checked, so apologies for any mistakes!
> 
> Warning: there is some torture in this chapter. Not too heavy, though.

**Chapter 18: Rescue  
  
  
** Hiruzen slowly exhaled as he lowered the pipe from his lips. This all was getting a lot more complicated than he’d like. He had noticed the change in Kakashi right away as Danzo had walked into his office. He knew this was mostly due to Kakashi being wary of Danzo after betraying him a few years back and effectively saving his life. Not to mention he took the wood-user away from Danzo. That ought to make a man angry.   
  
As soon as his old friend had left the room, he turned to Kakashi, asking what worried the teen. Naturally, his question was deflected, but the answer he  _ did _ receive made him wonder. Kakashi was one hundred percent sure she hadn’t ran away? How did he go from doubting to being sure? The only thing that had happened was... Danzo. Of course. He wasn’t even surprised that he was somehow involved. It did worry him, though. If he got his hands on young Hermione and the small boy, that would definitely be an issue.   
  
And, of course. This completely explained what had happened to the deceased man. The body of Hermione’s friend was supposed to be buried, but when locating the grave, it was empty. If Danzo had gotten his hands on him, it would only make sense he would like someone who was alive as well. He knew from reading the autopsy report that these magical beings weren’t quite like them. There were the other men that were being kept at the T&I facility. They were more heavily guarded, however. Hermione was the easiest target, especially when Kakashi wasn’t at home.    
  
Hiruzen was brought out of his musings at the arrival of the small pug that was Kakashi’s summon.   
  
"Hokage-sama. I have a message from you from Kakashi." The pug said around the scroll in his mouth. He placed the scroll on top of the desk and sat down in front of him.  
  
"Ah, Pakkun, good that you're here. I assume Kakashi has already left?" The Hokage picked up the scroll and unrolled it, quickly reading the notes that were written down.  
  
“He has. He took the rest of the pack with him and requested I get his team ready.”   
  
Hiruzen hummed at that. Time was of the essence, so he couldn’t think on this too long. He knew what he had to do. He had considered it before, but knowing what he did, the choice was easily made.   
  
“Very well. Before you go, take this with you.” He took out a small scroll from a drawer in his desk, unsealing it. It revealed another scroll, carefully rolled up. He handed the scroll to the pug. “It is of the utmost importance that Kakashi gets this.”   
  
“Understood. I’ll be on my way.” The pug took the scroll in his mouth and with a nod turned and jumped out of the window.   
  
Well, Hiruzen thought as he stood up, he should probably get back to work. The paperwork won’t disappear if he ignored it. Letting out a sigh he went to grab himself a cup of coffee. He was going to need the caffeine.    
  
  
  
-   
  
  
  
When Hermione woke up, the first thing she thought was that she really needed to stop passing out. There was no way this would be good for her health. The second thing she thought that she actually might pass out again, this time from the pain in her body. She tried moving but found herself strapped in a chair, not being able to move an inch. She could barely turn her head.   
  
“About bloody time. I have more things to do than waiting for you to wake up, mudblood.”    
  
She knew that voice. Shit. How? How did he get out? Hadn’t they locked him up? She glanced to her right. And of course. There he was, with that disgusting smirk on his face. Her breathing quickened as he stepped closer to her. Without her wand, she was defenseless and while she knew he probably didn’t have his own wand either, it wouldn’t matter to him. He could still perform magic, even without his wand. Her only relief was that if he would try to enter her mind, she could at least try and block him out. She just wasn’t sure how strong he’d be if he were to use Legilimens on her.   
  
“Ah, yes. We're going to have a good time, together, aren't we, mudblood? The people here were kind enough to let me have my way with you before they would. All they want is some information."  
  
She watched as he stepped closer, coming into her line of sight. Dolohov. She had to deal with Dolohov. While being tied up. Okay, Hermione. Stay calm. Breathe. You need to focus, keep your mind strong.  
  
"What's the matter, mudblood? Cat got your tongue?"   
  
"Screw you." She bit out.  
  
Dolohov chuckled at that. "Very well.  _ Crucio _ !"   
  
Hermione tried her hardest to keep quiet, she really did. The pain was too much though. Her throat was getting sore. She was screaming, she realised. Her muscles ached as she fought the curse with all her strength.   
  
"Tell them what they want to know," Dolohov said, momentarily stopping the curse to let her speak.   
  
Hermione didn't say anything. She couldn't give him what he wanted. She would have to endure this for now. She feared what would happen if she no longer could, however. No doubt he’d switch to entering her mind. This was just to break her, she knew. He reached out to her, his hand nearing her face. She tried to avoid his touch but being strapped into the chair she had nowhere to go, flinching as he touched her cheek.   
  
"Come now, mudblood. Tell them what they want to know, and we'll get out of here, hm? I'll make sure you'll be purified of that polluted blood of yours."  
  
"Don't touch me," she hissed, moving her head away from his touch.   
  
"No? Well, I guess you won't mind me continuing then.  _ Crucio _ !"   
  
Her muscles once again contracted in pain as she let out a long, drawn-out scream. She couldn't think, she could barely breathe. All she felt was the excruciating pain that was caused by the curse. The chair creaked as she shook.   
  
"Are you sure this'll work?"   
  
The pain stopped as Dolohov turned his attention to the person entering the room. Hermione struggled to get her breathing in check. After all the screaming, her throat and lungs ached.   
  
"I've done this plenty of times. It'll work. And if not, well, at least I get to have a bit of fun." Dolohov waived off.   
  
"We don't have time for fun. If you don't get her to talk. We will."  
  
A moment later the door closed again. Dolohov turned back to her, a sinister smile on his face. Letting out an evil laugh, he told her "Let's continue."   
  
"No, no, please. No more." She begged. Even Bellatrix hadn't been torturing her with the Cruciatus curse this much.   
  
He suddenly grabbed her throat, choking her as he made her look at him. "Begging won't work, mudblood."   
  
He kept his eyes on her, making her keep eye contact as he cast another, this time nonverbal, Cruciatus. She watched him look at her full of glee as she started spasming once again.   
  
Hermione couldn't keep her eyes open, even if she wanted to. Another scream tore from her as tears streamed down her face. She didn't think she could take any more of this. She knew she'd never tell them anything concerning Teddy, which only meant one thing. She wouldn't be walking out away from this one.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Kakashi waited for the pack to return with information. Usually he'd be right there with them, looking for a trail. Now, with Teddy in his arms, he wasn't going to risk it. The boy had been hidden for a reason and while he could easily fight while holding the boy, it wasn't ideal.   
  
His sensitive ears picked up sounds from where he came from. He quickly hid in the trees. Friend or foe? Kakashi let his trained senses spread out. Focusing mainly on his hearing, he counted four shinobi, fast incoming, and also… something smaller. A moment later he heard a gruff voice call out his name. Ah, Pakkun. And his team. Good.    
  
He watched as his team gathered below him, around the area where there clearly had been a struggle. Kakashi glanced at the boy in his arms.  _ “Time to meet the team, kid,” _ he softly said before jumping down. Teddy gave a small squeal of excitement at the movement, holding his hands in the air.   
  
“Oi, senpai, where’d you get that kid? And.. why does he look just like yo- Oh my god, senpai! I didn’t know you w-”   
  
“Shut up, Shisui, this isn’t what you think.” Of course Shisui would think that. While Shisui knew that Kakashi had Hermione and a child living at his house, he hadn't actually seen the kid. So, it wasn't all that far-fetched.   
  
“Are you sure, boss? It sure as hell looks like it.”   
  
“Genma, don’t be an idiot. He’s not mine.”   
  
The senbon-user came closer to the pair, and made eye contact with the boy who pretty much looked like a miniature version of himself.    
  
“I’ll be damned,” he muttered. “How?”   
  
“That’s what I’d like to know. And I’d love to ask her. There’s just one slight problem.” He said, while pointing and the ground and the blood.    
  
“Blood.” Yugao noted. “Hers?”   
  
Kakashi nodded. “Yeah, it’s fresh, so there’s still time. The pack is tracking their scents.”   
  
Yugao nodded and walked off, checking the area.   
  
“Kakashi,” Pakkun walked towards him, a scroll in his mouth. Kakashi wordlessly bent down and took the scroll from him. “The Hokage requested I give this to you, said you would know what to do with it.”   
  
He looked down at the scroll, wondering what could be in there. He started to shift the kid to his hip, so that he could open the scroll, when the boy clapped in his hands and said,  _ “Shi!”  
  
_ He sighed as he felt all the eyes of his team shift to the child in wonder. “Shisui, you’re good with kids, right? Hold him for a second, will you?”   
  
“You got it, senpai! And you even tried to teach him my name! Sweet!”   
  
“For fucks sake, Shisui.” Kakashi groaned as he handed the kid to him.   
  
“Please, watch your language senpai.” The Uchiha said in a serious voice.   
  
Kakashi rolled his eyes at that. He wasn’t even going to tell him the kid didn’t understand their language. Maybe now the rest of them would stop spouting nonsense all the damn time. He turned his attention to the scroll in his hand, performing the necessary hand signs he unsealed the scroll, revealing… a stick? No, this wasn’t just a stick. It was a wand, more specifically Hermione’s wand. Well, she would definitely need it, now that the other one was snapped in half.   
  
“Uhh, senpai?” Shisui nervously said. The tone made Kakashi look up, watching Shisui hold the child away from him, with a frown on his face. He was about to ask what he wanted when he noticed the kid’s hair turn black. Oh, damn. Walking towards them he noticed Shisui had turned on his Sharingan, no doubt to check what had happened to the kid. He wondered if there was something to be seen, uncovering his own Sharingan to check.   
  
Nothing. There was absolutely nothing noticeable going on with the kid, besides the obvious. He paused as he looked at the kids eyes. They had turned blood-red, almost like direct copies of the Sharingan, which was ironic in itself. So, the kid obviously had abilities to change his appearance at will. That certainly was interesting. Did Hermione possess the same abilities?    
  
Shit, he almost forgot. He needed to stay focused, damnit. They could deal with this later. “Pakkun, any sign?”   
  
“Not yet, let me go check.” The pug sprinted off.    
  
His team gathered around him and Shisui, all looking at the kid as he looked at all of them in wonder. Not even a minute later, Pakkun returned. “Found the trail. We should hurry.”   
  
Shisui held Teddy close to him again as they all took off after Pakkun. If the ninken said they should hurry, they’d better listen. It took them about ten minutes to close in on the pack. All of them gathered around a random spot in a field. To Kakashi and Shisui, however, it wasn’t a random spot at all. A powerful genjutsu seemed to be in place.    
  
“Shisui?”   
  
“Yeah, got it.”    
  
He shifted the boy in his arms and did a couple of quick hand signals, the genjutsu dispersed and with that a small building came into view. It looked like an old abandoned building, although it was quite clear this was only a small part of it. The rest seemed to be going underground. Now that the barrier was down, they suddenly heard a gut-wrenching scream coming from within. Kakashi froze as he listened to the sound, there was no doubt about who that belonged to but fuck, they couldn’t just burst in without knowing what they were getting themselves into.   
  
He couldn’t think clearly, however. The only thing going through his head was that he had to go to her. Had to stop those screams that were so full of agony, it made him want to kill anything or anyone that was causing them.   
  
“Boss?”   
  
Kakashi turned to look at Genma helplessly. He didn’t know what to do. How could he not know what to do? This had never happened to him before. He always had a level head, well, almost always. Fuck. He was panicking, wasn’t he? This  _ so  _ wasn’t the time for that. Focus Hatake. Come on. Lives were at stake here. He shook his head, shaking away the confusing thoughts.   
  
“Yeah, let’s go. Pakkun, you and the pack stay here with Shisui. The rest of us, go in. Main priority is Hermione. We must get her out of there. Keep in mind we’re dealing with Root and this isn’t an official mission. Other than that, this is not within the walls of Konoha, which makes it a bit of a grey area. It’s extremely important that we do not kill any of them either way. The consequences of that would be too great.”   
  
Kakashi moved towards the building, followed by Genma, Yugao and Tenzou. They swiftly moved through the hallways of the building, coming closer and closer to where the screams were coming from. They stopped and hid themselves from view as a door opened, revealing one of the wizards that had arrived here with Hermione. How did he get here? He was supposed to be heavily guarded and in custody of the T&I unit.   
  
He made quick signals to Genma and Tenzou to make sure no one would disturb them, as he and Yugao entered the room. He heard Hermione beg for the man to stop, followed by another scream, this one the worst of all he has heard up until this point. He was too late to stop himself. As he saw the man stand over Hermione as he made her scream without even touching her, the Raikiri came to life in his hand. Not even Yugao was fast enough to stop him from punching his hand through the man’s chest, right through the heart.   
  
As soon as he had hit the man, Hermione’s screaming slowly died out. Kakashi stood still, hand still through the man’s chest as he felt the weight of the man bear down on his arm. He retracted his arm, letting the man fall to the floor like a sack of potatoes. In the meantime Yugao had rushed to Hermione, undoing the straps that tied her to her chair. She tried coaxing answers out of her, checking to see how she was, but Yugao didn’t speak her language.   
  
“Let me,” he said to the purple-haired woman, softly shoving her aside.  _ “Hermione-san? Can you hear me?” _ _   
_ _   
_ He got no response, other than a soft groan, which at least indicated she was still somewhat conscious. Turning towards Yugao, he said, “let’s get her out of here. She’ll definitely need medical attention, but I’d rather not do that here.”   
  
Kakashi reached out to lift her out of the chair, but as he touched her she suddenly flinched and tried to push him away. There was no real strength behind her pushing, which wasn’t surprising.  _ “Hermione-san, calm down. It’s me, Kakashi.” _ _   
_ _   
_ At his words, she seemed to struggle even more, softly begging, tears in her eyes as she looked at him,  _ “please, don’t. Please.”  _ He didn’t get it. Why was she doing this? Did she not realise it was him?  _ “Don’t touch me, please.” _ Shit. She actually tried to get away from him.   
  
_ “Hermio-,” _ he tried again.   
  
_ “No! Don’t touch me! Get away from me!” _ She started softly sobbing.   
  
“Boss, maybe I should take her?” Kakashi looked behind him to see Genma standing there. Yugao was no longer next to him, no doubt having swapped places with the man knowing he spoke Hermione’s language as well.   
  
“I- Sure. Make it quick. We have to go.” His tone was flat, masking the hurt he felt at the rejection. It shouldn’t matter who carried her. He shouldn’t feel like this anyways. Instead, he turned to the man he had just killed while enraged. It would be better to bring the body with them. Picking him up, he threw the man over his shoulder and made his way out of the room.   
  
_ “Hey beautiful. I’m gonna pick you up and we’re getting out of here, alright? You’re gonna be fine.”  _ He heard Genma say behind him, waiting until the man had Hermione in his arms. Once he had, he made his way outside. Yugao and Tenzou had cleared the way out for them, so they could leave unnoticed. Well, as unnoticed as they could with the sound of a thousand chirping birds.   
  
  
  
-   
  
  
  
Hermione didn’t know what was happening. One minute she’s screaming her lungs out and the next she feels the straps on the chair disappearing. She’s so disoriented though, she can’t tell left from right. She heard someone talking, a female, but couldn’t discern what was being said. When trying to open her eyes again, everything was fuzzy. She did notice a silvery blob of hair. Shit, no. Not this again. Wasn’t once enough?   
  
“Hermione-san? Can you hear me?”   
_   
_ Wait. It did actually sound like him this time, didn’t it? Damnit, her head was killing her. She groaned at the throbbing headache. She then heard him talk in his own language and then she felt a touch, feeling the all-familiar spark going through her, making her flinch and instinctively push him away. She felt disgusting after what Dolohov had done with her, touching her so tenderly. And now with him doing the same. She couldn’t take it. She didn’t even know it was really him. Sure, the spark was there, but Dolohov had managed to get into her head, she just couldn’t be sure what was real anymore.   
  
“Hermione-san, calm down. It’s me, Kakashi.” She heard the man say. Yeah right. Sure he was. She didn’t trust anything he was saying at this point. Dolohov had seriously messed with her mind. Finding the memories of this happening with Kakashi before, he took serious advantage of that while torturing her with the curse. That man was scary talented if he was actually able to pull that off. Hermione struggled even more as he didn’t back down.    
  
“Please, don’t. Please,” Hermione begged him. No more. She couldn’t take anymore of this torture. “Don’t touch me, please.” She just wanted to go home. Wanted to go to sleep and wake up in her own bed. This was all just a huge nightmare. It couldn’t possibly be real.   
_   
_ “Hermio-,” he tried again.   
  
“No! Don’t touch me! Get away from me!” Why wouldn't he listen?! Couldn’t he see she couldn't deal with this? She thought as she started sobbing. No more. Please, no more.   
  
Another man had entered the room, speaking softly in their native language. This voice sounded familiar, but she was too tired to try and figure out who it was.   
  
The response the man got from ‘Kakashi’ was void of any emotion. It sounded so cold. See? She was right. It wasn’t him. She felt him move away from her as another body came closer. “Hey beautiful. I’m gonna pick you up and we’re getting out of here, alright? You’re gonna be fine.”    
  
For some reason, she didn’t flinch as he reached out. Really, she was too tired to care anyways. As she felt the man carefully pick her up, she rested her head against his shoulder as he started walking. Within a few moments, she felt a soft breeze and managed to open her eyes. As she looked to her side, she noticed Kakashi wasn’t alone. There were people waiting that she hadn’t seen before, besides one. Teddy.    
  
She was too tired to even stop the tears from falling as she looked at the young boy who looked completely different. She couldn’t even find it in herself to care about the fact that his ability was visible for all of them to see. All she had eyes for was the small hand that pointed towards her and the smile on his face. Relief coursing through her at the thought that he was safe.    
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you guys think! Hope you enjoyed it :)
> 
> And not to worry, Danzo isn't getting away with what he did that easily!
> 
> Stay safe and healthy! <3
> 
> Until next time!


	19. Barrier

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies
> 
> I think it's about time for a new chapter! I've been struggling with this one and it didn't turn out like I wanted. Nonetheless, I hope you'll like it! 
> 
> I'm uploading this on my phone, so any formatting I have may be a bit botched. I'll fix it once I have time to use the computer :') 
> 
> Before you start reading the chapter, a bit of seriousness:
> 
> I hope everyone is doing okay and everyone is doing their best to stay safe.  
> This was already something to worry about with 'just' the pandemic going on. Now, however, with everything happening in the States, this is becoming even more important. I hope that everyone who's living in the States are doing their best to keep safe and I hope your families are safe as well!
> 
> Without further ado, enjoy! Hopefully it'll be something so distract you from the current chaos in the world :)

**Chapter 19: Barrier  
  
  
** Kakashi watched as Genma held Hermione, soothing her as she cried. She didn't shy away from Genma, as she had with him. The moment he would come closer to her, she visibly flinched. He wasn't the only one who had noticed it. The rest of his team did as well. He just didn't understand why. They had been on relatively normal terms before he went on the mission, hadn't they?  
  
They had to move, though. It wasn't smart to stay out here in the open. He signalled the team to start moving. They could figure things out when they had found somewhere that provided cover. This was a much bigger mess than he had originally thought it would be. They _had_ just broken into a Root-building, one they weren't supposed to know about _and_ they weren't on an official mission, which could cause problems as well.  
  
His team swiftly moved away from the building and headed back to the forest where they had been before. It wasn't ideal. Hell, it was anything _but_ ideal. Unfortunately it was the only cover they had in the area, so it would have to do for now. It was important that they got the dead body sealed up and Hermione healed up enough that she wasn't in pain, which she clearly was. It would make the journey back much easier.   
  
It only took them about ten minutes to reach the forest, Yugao and Tenzou had run ahead to find a somewhat safe place that gave them the advantage if it would come to a fight.   
  
As they reached the two of them, Kakashi dropped the body on the ground and reached into his pouch, taking out a sealing scroll. Nodding at Tenzou to give him a hand, he rolled it out as his kohai moved the body into proper position. Behind him he heard Shisui coo at the child as Genma softly spoke to Hermione to keep her awake for now.   
  
"Yugao check her, will you?"   
  
She nodded in response and made her way to where Genma held her. He lowered her to the ground so that the purple-haired woman could look her over. He watched her hands turn green as she checked the wound on Hermione’s head. In the meantime he kept his eyes and ears open. He really didn’t want to get ambushed and while they weren’t out in the open anymore, they still weren’t safe.  
  
Having successfully sealed the dead wizard’s body, he turned to check the progress of the healing session. He was glad to see that Hermione didn’t look as sickly pale as she had before. She still looked troubled. Kakashi wondered what exactly had happened to her. Besides the small amount of blood they had found in the forest, there hadn’t been a lot of blood at the building. There weren’t a lot of physical injuries. Psychological torture, then. It would make the most sense with how she was acting.  
  
Yugao luckily was quite skilled in healing superficial wounds, so the wound on her head was quickly taken care of. Her leg would take longer to heal, there was probably some physical therapy needed as well to be sure Hermione would be able to use it properly. That would have to be taken care of when they got back into the village. For now, they would need to find some shelter. The trees only gave them so much coverage. Which reminded him…  
  
Making his way towards Genma, Hermione and Yugao, the latter had finished up and passed him as she made her way to Shisui.  
  
“The injury on her face is pretty much healed. There’s not much I could do for her knee, though. An actual medic will need to take a look at that.”  
  
“Got it, thanks, Yugao.”   
  
“Of course,” she responded with a nod.  
  
Giving her a nod in return, he continued towards the other two. _“Hermione-san, can I talk to you for a minute?”_  
  
She looked up to him, eyes wide. Still afraid of him, then. Damn. He didn’t think he’d ever say this, but he rather have sassy Hermione than this one. It angered him to know that they had messed with her mind to the point of her reacting this way.  
  
“Boss, you sure that’s a good idea? I mean-”  
  
“Not now, Genma. It’s important that I do speak with her and it can’t wait.”  
  
“Right.” He said, before turning to Hermione, _“you want me to stay?”_ _  
_ _  
_Kakashi had to bite his tongue to not let his annoyance show at the senbon-user. He needed to talk to her in private. Not with him right there.  
  
 _“I-it’s alright. Thank you, Genma-san.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Alright, I won’t go far.”_ He assured her as he stood up. He gave Kakashi one last look that said enough but only fueled Kakashi’s annoyance even more. Who the hell did he think he was? Genma acted like he was her freaking boyfriend or something. Which he wasn’t, so he needed to stop acting like it.  
  
He sighed as he turned back to the woman in front of him, squatting down as he reached into his pouch. _"Here,"_ he said as he handed her wand to her. She looked up to him in surprise, eyes once again wide.   
  
_"H-how? And why?"_ She took the wand with a shaking hand. Looking at her hand, before looking back up at him.  
  
 _"The Hokage ordered me to give it to you. Don't make him regret this decision."  
  
_ _“O-of course. But I don’t understand. Why give it to me now?”_ She asked. _  
__  
__“I need you to do something for me.”_ _  
_  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione looked up at him curiously, he needed her to do something for him? She was in no condition to do anything. Sure, the woman was kind enough to heal her head wound, but her leg was still busted. It annoyed her. She hated being vulnerable like this. Plus, she wasn’t able to take care of Teddy like this. She kept a close eye on him, though it seemed the dark haired teen was doing alright with taking care of him so far.   
  
That reminded her, Teddy had adopted the teen’s hair and eyes by the looks of it. Damnit. That’s probably what Kakashi wanted from her. To know about Teddy’s abilities. She would definitely need to put another glamour on him, which would be super easy now that she had her own wand back. The moment she grabbed it, she felt the energy course through her just like it had when she first got it.  
  
“What do you need me to do?” She hesitantly asked him, as he never elaborated.  
  
She glanced at his face, slowly meeting his eye- oh, eyes. She hadn’t dared to actually look into his eye before but doing so now, she saw he had both eyes open. So he _did_ have two eyes. His left eye was vastly different from his right one. Hermione had expected him to have two grey eyes, not a grey and a red one. Come to think of it, the red one matched the one from the teen holding Teddy.  
  
Hermione wasn’t shocked to see his scar. It would make sense to keep it hidden and it wasn’t the first time she’d seen someone with a scar on his face. She’d seen plenty of those back home.  
  
“I wanted to ask you about the barriers you had created. The ones you used to hide Teddy?”  
  
“Eh?” Okay, she did _not_ expect him to ask that.  
  
“The barriers?” He repeated impatiently, with a hint of annoyance.  
  
“I got what you meant, yes. You just caught me off guard. I thought you wanted to talk about- about something else.”  
  
She watched as one of his eyebrows rose, “Oh, you mean the fact that Teddy can change his appearance at will?”  
  
Hermione winced at that. Busted. “I- yeah.”  
  
“Oh, don’t worry, we’ll get to that, Hermione-san.” He was smirking. She could _hear_ it. She was screwed, wasn’t she? Shit.  
  
“A-anyways, the barriers? What did you want to know?” She asked, changing the subject. The longer she could go without telling him, the better. Luckily, Kakashi went along with it. No doubt he’d corner her when they were back in the village. She’ll have to deal with it then. It would give her some time to come up with a plausible answer that wasn’t entirely truthful but enough to feed his curiosity.  
  
“Can you create them around this camp? Or is it only for smaller areas?”  
  
“Can I- Wait, you want me to create those barriers? Why? I thought we were just resting before going back to the village.”  
  
“It’s not safe if we do. Not right away, not if we're carrying the two of you. It’s not far, but we’ll be wide open and I’m not sure how many of them are coming after us.”  
  
She nodded in understanding. It made sense. Here, at least, they could hide in the trees. It would be safer to fight them off here. “Right, I get what you mean, I think.” Hermione looked around the area. “I suppose this is manageable, it’s not too big to create the barrier. I just need to get all sides covered and we’ll be fine.”  
  
“Okay, good. Do you need to stand?”  
  
“Preferably, yes.”  
  
He started to reach towards her, probably wanting to help her up so that she could perform the necessary spells. Even with him moving slowly and completely in her sight, she was unable to stop the flinch as he almost touched her. As she flinched, he paused his movements, his eyes flicking to hers.  
  
“I-I’m sorry. I know it’s not your fault, but-”  
  
“They tortured you.” He stated, it wasn’t even a question. He knew they had tortured her, which is why he moved slowly towards her, instead of grabbing her like he would have done before.  
  
“Yes.” She didn’t need to respond to that, she knew that, but did it anyways.  
  
“Whatever it was they showed you. While it looked real, it’s not.”  
  
She almost let out a laugh. Kakashi comforting her, in his own way, wasn’t something she had expected. It was kind of him, though. It would seem he has experience in this department.  
  
“Did you feel anything when I touched you when they were torturing you?”  
  
 _That_ got her attention. It crossed her mind, but everything seemed so real, she didn’t think anything of it. He was right, though. Completely right. She hadn’t felt a thing. Hermione watched his hand creep closer once again. His hand softly touched her arm for a moment and the second his fingers touched her skin, she felt it. There was no faking this, she knew.  
  
“This is real, Hermione-san. It takes time, I know. But you’ll learn what’s real and what’s not.”  
  
All she could do is nod, looking at him in wonder. He kept surprising her didn’t he?  
  
“Good. Now. Let’s go.” He said, voice once again void of emotion. “We need to get that barrier up.” And, back to his old self again. Honestly, the guy was going to give her a whiplash one of these days.  
  
He reached out again and she fought back a flinch. She knew he still noticed it, but didn’t mention it. With his help she was able to get back on her feet, taking care not to lean on her injured leg and hop a few yards to create the first barrier. Raising her wand, she cleared her mind, remembering all the incantations she would need for the protective enchantments to create the barrier.  
  
Pointing her wand she softly said “ _Protego totalum”_ to which she felt Kakashi stiffen beside her. Did he feel the barrier create itself? Glancing behind her, she noticed the others look her way as well, checking to see what Kakashi would do. She turned back, focussing on creating the barrier. “ _Repello Muggletum.”_ She wasn’t sure what the effects would be for the shinobi that were with her, but as long as they stayed inside the barrier, they should be fine. Alright, last one; “ _Cave inimicum_ ,” with that they should be completely hidden from any attackers.  
  
She thought about using the other protective spells she had used when she had been hunting for Horcruxes but decided against it. Those were solely for magical folk, and they were anything but magical.  
  
She turned to look at Kakashi, who was eyeing the enchantments in wonder. “I’m done on this side,” she said.  
  
“And they won’t be able to see us?”  
  
“If everything went well, they won’t be able to see, hear or even smell us.”  
  
He just nodded silently and guided her to the other sides of their temporary camp. Within five minutes she had successfully created a barrier, hopefully hiding them from anyone looking for them. Kakashi then set her down, so that she could lean against a tree. He then walked towards the teen that was watching over Teddy, speaking softly to him. A moment later he handed Teddy to her, to which she smiled up at him in thanks.  
  
“Hello, my little boy,” she cooed.  
  
“Mai!” He squealed, throwing his hands up in delight.  
  
She laughed at his enthusiasm. He was adorable like this. She hadn’t seen him this happy since back at Remus’ cottage. Oh dear, he desperately needed a diaper change though, and of course she had nothing here. She doubted that any of the shinobi did as well. While she rather did it herself, a quick “ _Scourgify”_ would have to do for now.  
  
“Mai, mai!”  
  
“Yes, yes,” she chuckled. “Mai’s here.”  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
“Senpai?”  
  
“Hm?” Kakashi kept his eyes on Hermione a moment longer, before turning to Tenzou.  
  
“What did you ask her to do?”  
  
He glanced back at the brown-haired witch, before responding. “She created barriers.”  
  
“Right. I gathered that, but why not let us create the barriers?”  
  
Kakashi shook his head. He had considered that, of course. But the Root would definitely be able to find them then. With the ones she created, they most likely wouldn’t. He remembered the feeling he got when he got near to where she had hidden Teddy. No doubt she had rushed at that time, but it still was very effective. The only two reasons he didn’t give in to the urges to turn around, was that he knew he had to find her and that his pack indicated something had been there.  
  
“It’s safer this way, trust me.”  
  
Tenzou looked at him incredulously, “I don’t know, senpai.”  
  
“I’ll explain later, Tenzou. For now, trust me, okay?”  
  
His kohai was not trusting his decision, that much was clear, but he accepted it nonetheless. Kakashi had saved his life more than once, so he deserved at least that much. Tenzou nodded in response and walked to the edge of the barrier, scouting ahead. He did the same on the other side of the camp. They may be hidden from view, but they still needed to be alert. If there was one thing Kakashi knew, it was not to trust anyone in Root.  
  
Honestly, Kakashi was surprised it took Root this long to hunt them down, but it was half an hour after the barrier had been put up that he spotted the first one. He quickly signalled his team to get ready. On instinct, all of them hid from view, hiding their chakra signature as well. It proved to be unnecessary as the Root members didn’t even look in their direction.  
  
For the second time that day, Genma let out a “I’ll be damned.” Kakashi watched him turn to look at Hermione in wonder. He felt another pang of rejection when from the corner of his eye, Hermione looked up at Genma and smiled a soft smile.   
  
Shaking his head, he turned his back to her and checked the area. More Root operatives were nearing their camp. While they could try and wait it out, they would find them eventually. The barrier only did so much. It was still close to the building, close enough for them to have memorized this area.   
  
They would need a distraction. A good one. And a quick getaway. His team could each make sure there's a distraction but how the hell would they be able to get Hermione and Teddy out unseen?   
  
_"Kakashi-san?"_   
  
Behind him, Hermione tried to get to her feet, failing miserably as she's also juggling Teddy in her arms. He waited another moment which proved to surprise him as she managed to actually stand up, leaning against the tree and not putting any weight on her injured leg.   
  
_"I'm guessing we won't be able to stay here much longer?"  
  
_ He looked at her, trying to think of where she was going with this. What was she going to do? Fight? He almost scoffed at the idea. She couldn't even stand properly. There's no way she would be able to fight any of the shinobi hunting them.  
  
 _" Kakashi-san?"_ She repeated, cocking her head. _"Did you-"  
  
_ _"I heard you."_ He interrupted her. _  
  
__"Right. Okay, so-"  
  
_ _"What do you suggest you're going to do? You can barely stand. There's no way you're walking out of here without any of our help."_ He interrupted again.   
  
_"I know that, but would you_ please _let me finish speaking?"_ She sounded quite exasperated.   
  
He raised an eyebrow in response. Folding her arms he waited for her to finish what she was going to say.   
  
She let out a sigh before speaking again. _"What I was going to say before you so rudely interrupted me,"  
  
_ _"Get to the point."_ He interrupted again.   
  
_"I can get us back to the village, I think."_ She looked at him expectantly.   
  
_"And how do you propose we do that?"  
  
_ _"The same way Dolohov took me away the first time."  
  
_ It made Kakashi think. She had a point. The guy did disappear without a trace when he took Hermione with him. He had no idea what to expect of it though. How far would she be able to go? He didn't really care about his team getting out. He knew they were more than skilled enough to take care of themselves.   
  
_"Can you get all the way to the village in one go?"  
  
_ _"Yes."  
  
_ _"And you'll be able to get to the Hokage's?"  
  
_ _"Yes."  
  
_ Kakashi looked around the camp, keeping an eye on the Root operatives that were moving around between the trees. He signaled his team to get ready. They would move out the moment she left. It would keep them busy until they found out she wasn't with them anymore.   
  
_"Okay. Do it. I'll meet you back at the village."_ He said, turning towards his team.   
  
_"Kakashi?"  
  
_ Something in her voice made him stop and turn back to her. Cocking his head in question.   
  
_"Make sure you all make it back in one piece, okay?"  
  
_ While she couldn't see it, he smirked at her. Softly shaking his head, he said _"don't worry about that, Hermione-san. We'll be fine. Now get going. I won't tell you again."  
  
_ A second later, a soft pop was heard as Hermione and Teddy disappeared from sight. Kakashi let out a sigh, mentally preparing himself of what was to come. He didn't like the idea of fighting his comrades but he also knew that the shinobi in Root didn't share the sentiment.   
  
"Alright, team. Let's give them a good distraction."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it! You guys know the drill by now. Let me know what you guys think. I love to read your thoughts on this story :')
> 
> Till next time! Xx


	20. Safe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovely readers!
> 
> It's a bit sooner than planned, but I had some inspiration today so I finished almost the entire chapter in one go. Yay for inspiration!  
> Anyways, enough talk. Enjoy!
> 
> PS: I once again apologise for any mistakes! I try to fix them as best as I can, but some might slip through.

**Chapter 20: Safe**

  
  


Hermione should've known it wasn't a smart idea to apparate while holding a child and not being able to properly stand. She also knew that she didn't have much of a choice. What she _did_ have a choice in, was where she was going to appear. When she envisioned the location, she decided on the hallway in the Hokage Tower. She didn't want to appear in the Hokage's office while he was in a meeting or something. After all, most of the people of Konoha weren't supposed to know what she was able to do. If only she had known who she would run into in that hallway.   
  
As she appeared, she stumbled and immediately had to reach out for a wall, but met a window instead. Standing on one leg was one thing. Apparating was a whole different thing. She leaned against the wall as she settled Teddy on her hip. It was only about twenty feet to the door of the leaders office, all she had to do was hop straight ahead. Easy, right?   
  
Wrong. Oh, how wrong she was. Holding Teddy with one arm and leaning with her other against the wall, she was unable to defend herself for any attack. Not that she had expected one here. She didn't think that man would have the audacity show up here. Again, she was proven wrong. She didn't hear him coming closer. Teddy babbling and her own hopping was loud enough to not hear anything over it. Which meant she was completely caught off guard when she tripped as her good leg was pulled to the side by a long stick.  
  
Hermione let out a shriek as she went down, lowering her free hand to the floor in order to break her fall. On instinct she rolled to her side, so that Teddy wouldn't be squashed under her. As she landed on the floor with a thud, however, Teddy was torn from her grip.   
  
_"Ah! Wait!"_ She called out. She hoped she said it correctly, she really couldn't risk making mistakes now.  
  
The fall had definitely hurt her wrist, she could barely lean on it. Damnit. She could definitely do without getting hurt all the damn time.   
  
"I suggest you stop moving. Or I’ll order him to drop the boy."   
  
That voice. She would never forget that voice. Looking up from the ground, she found what had tripped her. A cane. Attached to that cane was a hand, which belonged to none other than Danzo. Shit.   
  
Hermione looked up at the man that was responsible for making her life a living hell these past couple of.. Hell, she didn’t even know how long she had been there. It didn’t matter. He didn’t matter. She was tired, hurt and _so_ done with this shit. She then glanced to her right, towards the window where a man was holding Teddy by his shirt, dangling out of the window. Oh no, no way. They were _not_ getting away with this. No way. She looked back at Danzo and glared at him.   
  
She wasn’t sure what was happening, she just knew she felt a tingling sensation all over her body. Not quite like the sensation she had when she touched Kakashi, but the way it spread through her body was similar. She felt energised as the sensation settled under her skin. Grabbing the wall, she sat up.   
  
“I told you not to move, little girl.” He warned.   
  
“Or what?” She challenged him. “You’re going to hurt him like you hurt me?”   
  
“I never hurt you.”   
  
“You had me tortured!”   
  
The man chuckled at her outburst. Was this _funny_ to him? “I did, yes. I should’ve done it myself. Obviously that man was all talk, or you wouldn’t be here. But my previous warning still counts. You shouldn’t move.”   
  
“Right,” Hermione scoffed and pointed at Teddy. “Because you’re going to have him thrown out the window, huh? I dare you to do something that stupid.”   
  
Danzo cocked his eyebrow at her and smirked. “No, you’re stupid for challenging me. You also shouldn’t have escaped. I had great plans for you but you just had to ruin it, didn’t you.” He said, before turning to the man holding Teddy. “Do it.”   
  
“No!” She shouted and the second the man let Teddy go, she pointed her wand out of the window, to the ground and called out “ _Molliare!_ ” She watched as Teddy hit the ground and bounced a couple of times, before settling on the cushioned ground. Hermione then turned to Danzo.   
  
He looked at her with a smirk and… wonder? Oh, she would give him something to wonder about. She cast a quick “ _Flipendo”_ at the man who stood next to the window, watching him get knocked backwards, crashing into the wall, hard. Hermione then turned her wand on Danzo who was still smirking at her. What? Did he really think she wouldn’t do anything to him? People should really stop underestimating her. She threw the Stunning Spell at him, which he dodged. Damnit.   
  
“My turn, little girl,” he said as he took out a knife and threw it at her.   
  
He was extremely fast for an old man, she thought, as she narrowingly deflected the weapon. She didn’t want to drag this out, since Teddy was still outside. Time to get it over with. “ _Petrificus totalus,”_ she called out, followed by a quick, “ _Stupefy!_ ” She wasn’t taking any chances with this man. This would have to be enough to at least slow him down.   
  
“I think that’s quite enough, Hermione-san.”   
  
Hermione whirled around, steading herself once again, pointing her wand at the person who appeared behind her and she felt like she could cry as she saw the Hokage stand there, with little Teddy in his arms.   
  
“Oh, thank Merlin. Hokage-sama, I’m sorry, I-”   
  
The Hokage held up his free hand, stopping her rambling. “Please, child. Don’t be sorry.” He then turned to his Anbu. “You know what to do. Make sure he’s properly detained,” he said with a serious look on his face. It was clear he wasn’t at all pleased with the scene in front of him.   
  
Hermione sagged against the window and slid to the floor, making sure not to injure her leg any further as she kept it stretched in front of her. She closed her eyes and let her head rest against the wall under the window. She heard someone move towards her and softly touch her shoulder. Opening her eyes, she looked at one of the masked men that accompanied their leader.   
  
“I think it’s best to go to my office for now, don’t you agree, Hermione-san?” Said leader spoke from his spot. “He will help you up, he won't hurt you.”   
  
Honestly, she was too tired to fight it as she was lifted from the ground and carried into the office. The man gently lowered her into a chair as the Hokage spoke to him in their own language. Hermione only had eyes for Teddy at the time, who was given back to her. He was absolutely fine, of course. She almost let out a laugh of disbelief at how lucky the boy was to come out of this unscathed.  
  
“I'll arrange for a medic to check you out. With the current situation, I think it’s better to let you stay here, under my watchful eye, hm?”   
  
“Thank you. Hokage-sama.” Hermione said softly.   
  
“Don’t worry about it, child. Rest, you’re safe now.”   
  
  
  
\-   
  
  
  
Apparently it was easy to distract someone if you appeared out of nowhere. Kakashi smirked behind his mask as the Root operatives were all over the place in confusion. Shisui was a master in confusing the enemy with his Body Flicker-jutsu. He was literally all over the place, provoking all of the nin at the same time. Him being the fastest in this case, gave the rest a clear path to get away.   
  
Kakashi knew they were leading them towards the village, but that was alright. They had created bunshins and changed them into Hermione and Teddy, carrying them around in order to make their chasers think they were trying to get them to the village. His team did need to get within the village walls as soon as possible though. While the Root organisation was something of Konoha, they wouldn’t hesitate to kill a Leaf-nin. This also was one of the reasons he was no longer with this organisation.   
  
He was glad that they weren’t that far from the village, making this short run exactly that. Short. Running through the forest, he flew past the trees left and right, making sudden stops and changing direction to dodge any kunai thrown at him. He deflected another kunai thrown at him with one of his own, throwing it back in the process.   
  
An explosion tag went off to his left, causing Kakashi to throw his arms up in defence. A moment later, through the smoke, the nin who had thrown it came at him. He ducked to avoid a punch and retaliated with a punch of his own, knocking the guy back. They kept throwing punches back and forth, while still moving towards the village. It seemed that the Root nins wanted to avoid that, however, as Kakashi was suddenly fighting four of them at the same time.   
  
Quickly glancing around, he noticed his entire team was dealing with this. He kicked one of the nin back, using the momentum to dodge another attack. Making a backflip, he landed a few yards away and paused, deciding on his options. Letting out a whistle, he alerted the rest of his team. The distraction had taken long enough, he figured. And really, he knew when he was outnumbered.   
  
Changing the tone of the whistle, his team was changing tactics immediately. They were close enough to the village to make a quick escape but chances were they were going to get chased anyway. He whirled around, throwing kunai and shuriken at the men surrounding him and then bolted away, towards the gates.   
  
As he ran, he sensed his team right behind him. They ran as fast as they could with Root chasing them. He hopped from rooftop to rooftop, making his way to the Hokage Tower. Looking at the tower from a distance he desperately hoped Hermione had made it there okay. With the amount of nin they were dealing with, it would seem Danzo was quite desperate in getting a hold of Hermione.   
  
Suddenly, his team was surrounded, boxing them in. It wasn’t Root that had them surrounded though. These were on their side. The Hokage’s guard with several other Anbu operatives.   
  
“By order of the Hokage, the entirety of the Root organisation is under arrest. I suggest you don’t resist, you’re not going to like what happens to you if you do,” one of Anbu drawled lazily.   
  
Kakashi caught his breath as he looked at the group that had gathered behind them. It was a lot more than he had initially thought. Glancing to his right, he recognised some of the Anbu he had worked with before. The man turned to him and nodded his head towards the tower.   
  
“The Hokage is expecting you, Hatake-san. Best not make him wait.”   
  
He nodded in response and signaled his team to move, making their way to the Hokage, as requested. It only took a short minute for them to arrive at the office. Now, out of any danger for the time being, he lowered his headband over his left eye. He felt the drain the Sharingan caused, it slowed him down considerably. That combined with not getting rest after his last mission, wasn’t favorable.   
  
Glancing around in the hallway, he noticed some dents in the walls that weren’t there before. As he walked up to the door Kakashi hesitated for a second, not sure if he should take his entire team with him this time around. It was standard procedure that they did come inside, but this was a delicate situation. What was he thinking? He trusted his team, with his life and with Hermione’s and Teddy’s. It would be fine.   
  
Knocking on the door, he dutifully waited to be called in, which only took a second. He opened the door and was greeted by the Hokage who was holding the boy and Hermione who was sitting on a chair to the side, with a medic healing her leg. Relief flooded his body at the sight. She had made it. Good. And she didn’t seem any worse   
  
“Hokage-sama,” he greeted, kneeling down. Behind him, his team did the same.   
  
“Kakashi, good to see you and your team back here in one piece.”   
  
“Yes sir.”   
  
Suddenly a loud squeal was heard, followed by childish laughter. “ _Shi!_ ” The boy clapped in his hands happily at the sight of Kakashi, pointing at him with his tiny fingers. “ _Mai! Shi! Shi!”_ _  
_ _  
_ Behind him, Kakashi could _hear_ Shisui pout as he whined, “Aww, man! I thought he really liked _me_ !” And then added in a low grumble, “and not grumpy pants over here.”   
  
Kakashi snorted at that as he stood back up, the team following his example. The boy moved impatiently in the Hokage’s hold, trying to get him to let go. He cocked his head at that, switching his gaze to Hermione who looked at the group and Teddy, following the exchange with interest. He knew she didn’t get what was being said, but no doubt she noticed their demeanor, Shisui’s more than his.   
  
“Are you almost done, Akio?” The Hokage addressed the medic.   
  
“Ah, yes, I am, I’m sorry, Hokage-sama, could you translate once again?”   
  
The Hokage chuckled at the nervousness of the medic. His actions being watched by an entire team as well as the Hokage, probably didn’t help the guy. “Of course, Akio,” he said. “Go ahead.”   
  
“Could you tell her I’m done with her leg for now. The bone’s almost completely mended. The rest will need to heal on its own in order to stimulate her body, but she will definitely need some physical therapy. She will also need to come in about a week or so, to see if everything is healing properly.”   
  
The Hokage relayed the message to Hermione and Kakashi watched her reaction to the news. It wasn’t bad news per se, but physical therapy was never fun. Not in his experience at least. He hated people touching him unnecessarily. He didn’t like people touching him in general. Listening to Hermione’s answer he had to stop himself from smirking. She was like him, then.   
  
_“Physical therapy? And that’s absolutely necessary?”_ If Kakashi didn’t know any better, he’d think she was pouting. He couldn’t see her face, the medic was blocking his view. It did sound like she was pouting though.   
  
The Hokage let out another chuckle. He was finding this all too amusing. _“I’m afraid so, yes. I trust the medic’s professional opinion, Hermione-san. It’s best you do too.”_   
  
_“Well, if I must.”_ She reluctantly said. _“But he’s done for now?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“That he is, yes.”_   
  
With a relieved sigh, she smiled in thanks at the man who had healed her, Akio and leaned back in the chair. “Um, thank you.” She said with a heavy accent to the medic, to which he nodded. Ah, quick study indeed, Kakashi thought. She would need to work on her pronunciation, but this wasn't a bad start at all.   
  
“Thank you, Akio, that’ll be all for now. Dismissed.”   
  
“Yes, Hokage-sama. Good day.”   
  
It stayed quiet in the room as the medic left the room, closing the door behind him. The Hokage stood up and walked towards Hermione, handing the boy back to her. He then turned and sat back at his desk, looking Kakashi in the eye.   
  
“Alright, Kakashi. Report.”   
  
“Of course, Hokage-sama.”   
  
And so Kakashi explained all his findings to his leader. From the evidence found in his home, to the location where Hermione had been held captive. At some point he reached back and produced the scroll from his pouch to which he had sealed the dead body of the other wizard. He didn’t mention his loss of control when he took the wizard’s life, nor the change of appearance of the boy. The abilities of the boy would have to be discussed later. Now it was extremely important that Danzo was taken care of.   
  
“If you don’t mind me asking, Hokage-sama, what has happened with Danzo? He wasn’t at the building where we found her.”   
  
“Ah, yes. Danzo has been arrested.”   
  
“Are you sure that’s a smart idea, sir?”   
  
“There’s no need to worry, Kakashi. I have more than enough ground to arrest him. Don’t think I’ve been idle while you were rescuing our young friend.  
  
Kakashi winced at the implication, “no, Hokage-sama, I-” Shit. He definitely handled that wrong. That wasn't what he had meant to say.   
  
“Enough, Kakashi. It’s fine. Now, I’ll get working on making a solid case against Danzo, you and your team get some rest. You will be called on, no doubt. So be prepared for that.”   
  
“Yes sir.”   
  
“Kakashi, you wait a moment longer. The rest of you are dismissed.”   
  
  
  
\-   
  
  
  
“The medic is on his way to check your injuries, Hermione-san.” The Hokage explained to her as she stared out of the window while the Hokage had been speaking in his own language, giving orders here and there.   
  
“In the meantime, I would like you to tell me what has happened?”   
  
Hermione stayed silent for a moment longer, keeping her eyes on the windows as she thought about what had happened these past couple of days. The man patiently waited for her to gather her thoughts. She shakily let out a breath as she did so, shifting through all the events.   
  
“I-” She started. She didn't really know how to continue. Her mind was a mess.   
  
“Take your time, child.” He said in a kind manner. “There’s no rush.”   
  
Taking a deep breath, Hermione started talking about what had happened. About being taken from the house and spending several days in a cell. She vaguely explained how she had gotten information from the guard. If the Hokage wanted to know more about it, he’d ask, no doubt. But she knew he was becoming increasingly aware of the different kinds of abilities she possessed so didn’t feel the need to explain further at this point.   
  
She then spoke about how she had gotten out but was almost immediately recaptured after hiding Teddy. As she started telling about waking up strapped to a chair, a knock was heard on the door.   
  
“That would be the medic,” he explained to Hermione who looked towards the door, wide-eyed. The Hokage then switched to his own language. _“Come in!”_   
  
Hermione could only understand snippets of what was being said, but she definitely understood when they talked about her. She hated this. She wanted to understand what was being said and was determined to learn the language. The medic came closer and spoke to her, but was met with a blank look as she didn’t understand what was being said.   
  
“Ah, he wants to know if he has permission to check you over, Hermione-san. Perhaps it’s best I take young Teddy while he checks your injuries.” The Hokage said as he stood up and gathered the boy in his arms.   
  
She looked from the Hokage back to the medic and gave him a small nod, giving him permission to proceed. He gently took her injured leg and inspected the wound. While it wasn’t an open wound, it was clear there were broken bones. Through the Hokage, the medic asked questions regarding the nature of the wound, where it hurt and even if he could tear her jeans up to her thigh in order to properly heal the wound.   
  
Momentarily mourning the loss of the only pair of jeans she had from back home, she watched as the man took great care in inspecting everything as he healed. She would just have to mend the jeans once he was done. After watching the purple-haired woman heal her other wounds in the woods, she was familiar with the green light emitting from his hands. Come to think that before she had gotten here, a green light like this meant death, not life.   
  
It was a weird sensation, but she could almost feel her bones knitting back together under her skin. While she felt that, there was also a warmth that was spreading through her, numbing the pain. It was very interesting to see and feel the man work in a meticulous manner. She was so engrossed in watching the medic, that she completely missed the knock on the door. It wasn’t until the Hokage addressed Kakashi that she looked up and watched him and his team enter the office. They looked tired, but all in one piece.   
  
The relief coursing through her was almost an alien feeling. Not that she wasn’t relieved to see that they were alright after sending her off, but it wasn’t _her_ feeling. Was this what Kakashi had meant before? That she affected what he was feeling, was it now him that affected her? After everything the two of them had been through, this last piece of information solidified her previous assumption. She had been in contact with plenty of people to know for sure.   
  
She had to stop herself from scoffing. It was true, then. They were bonded. How that was possible, she didn’t know. What Hermione _did_ know was that bonds like these were unbreakable. She also knew that fighting the bond would be utterly useless. The only problem now was trust. Did she trust him? She wasn’t sure she could, not now. While she knew that most of the things that were shown to her weren’t real, as he had explained before, that didn’t count for everything she had seen.   
  
Of course, there was no way Dolohov could’ve known most of the things he had shown her. He must’ve gathered the information from the men that had taken her. How else could he have known some of the things he did? Had he really killed his friend? That thought scared her the most. If he was capable of killing his friend, then there was no way he wouldn’t do the same to her if it came down to it. No, it would definitely take a long while before she would be able to trust him enough to let him in someday, if ever. After all, how could she trust a man she didn’t know?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that marks chapter 20. Let me know what you think!
> 
> Xx


	21. The Truth Will Come Out Eventually

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright. I wanted to wait to upload it, because it's not properly Beta-read. But I'm impatient as hell, so here's chapter 21!
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 21: The Truth Will Come Out Eventually** **  
**  
  
After the dismissal, Kakashi's team left the office. Kakashi himself didn’t move as requested. Hermione watched as he kept his gaze on the leader. The Hokage didn’t start speaking right away, instead he was sorting through some paperwork.  
  
“Alright, first things first. Kakashi, I want you to fix the wards around your house. They need to be impregnable. With the current state of affairs, Danzo will try to come after the both of you. There’s someone I know who can help with this, I’ll send him your way.” _  
_ _  
_“Understood.” Kakashi said. _  
_ _  
_“This will mean, Hermione-san, you will continue to stay with Kakashi for the time being.” _  
__  
_Hermione flinched as the Hokage turned to her as he spoke. From the corner of her eye she saw Kakashi following his gaze and she knew they both saw her flinch at what he had said.  
  
“Is there a problem with this arrangement, Hermione-san?” _  
_ _  
_She looked up at the older man in fright. She wasn't ready for this. It was too soon to talk about it. And she didn't want to accuse Kakashi of anything. Not if she didn't know what was real, even if she was fairly certain he wasn't involved in what had happened to her.  
  
“I- No, it’s not that. It’s, um-,” she struggled getting an answer out.   
  
She heard a sigh and looked to the side, at Kakashi, who looked at her. Was he actually sighing at her? Unbelievable. It's not like she could help it. She didn't ask for this. Merlin, she didn't ask for any of this. She opened her mouth, to try and give an answer as the Hokage was still waiting for an explanation. Kakashi answered instead, giving a blunt answer.  
  
“She was tortured.”  
  
The tone of his voice made her wince. She felt like she just majorly screwed something up. They were already on a thin line as it is. The surge of rejection she felt threw her off. Yeah, she realised, she did screw up with her reaction. It’s not like she did it on purpose, though. Surely he knew that? She figured it didn’t matter to him, it still stung, if the look on his face was anything to go by. So now she would have to rebuild not only her trust in him but make amends with him as well.   
  
“I see,” the Hokage said, interrupting her thoughts. He stayed silent for a moment after that. “While I understand this makes things a bit more complicated, I do insist she stays at your house, Kakashi. She’ll be safest there, especially after the wards have been upgraded.”  
  
He turned to look at Hermione, silently asking her to comply. Not that she really had a choice, now did she? It was what she had expected anyhow. Nothing had changed. Kakashi was still the best fit in order to help her. She nodded softly, looking away. Hermione couldn’t bear looking at the silver-haired teen at the moment, not when she was quite certain that the hurt she felt was coming from him, even if he didn’t show it.  
  
“Alright, both of you are dismissed. Kakashi, expect the shinobi to arrive later today.”  
  
“Yes sir,” Kakashi complied. He then moved to where she was still sitting, holding Teddy to her chest. She knew what was coming next as he slowly reached out to her. He would have to touch her and take her back to his house. Okay. She could do this. She wasn’t going to flinch. She was _not_ going to do that and.. Damn it. She flinched.   
  
Hermione knew the moment she flinched, because Kakashi’s grip on her tightened as he readied himself to take them back to the house. The second they landed in the house, he released her next to the couch and walked away from her.  
  
“Kakashi-san, please wait!” She struggled juggling Teddy and finding her balance after the transport. “Kakashi!” But no response came. Nor did he come back, leaving her in the living room. Hermione shifted the boy to her hip and tried to sit down, without putting any weight on her leg.  
  
“Mai-mai!” Teddy startled moving in her grip, clearly not wanting to be held any longer. She let him go on the floor, not even registering what he almost said, taking out her wand to summon a couple of toys to keep him busy. Dropping the wand on the couch next to her, Hermione put her hands to her face and cried. She just didn’t know what to do anymore. She was completely utterly lost, not knowing what to do about any of this.   
  
The more she thought about it, the harder she cried. Fuck, her head hurt. Her leg hurt. Honestly, everything did, but mostly her heart. And rationally, she knew it wasn’t just her causing the ache in her heart, which made it even worse. Not being able to keep herself upright, she moved to lie down on the couch and curled up in a ball, softly sobbing. She couldn’t do this anymore. It was too much.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
There was no other way to explain it. She looked absolutely terrified at the thought of going back home with him. Realizing that hurt. It was rejection upon rejection today. Kakashi clenched his jaw at this realization, shutting the feeling down as soon as it came. Why the fuck would he care? Sure, she was tortured. She wasn’t alone in that, however. It’s not like he was never tortured. He had his own terrors that he had to deal with on a daily basis. She was nothing special in that case. Watching her struggle to get the words out just made him sigh in annoyance.  
  
 _“She was tortured.”_ He supplied in an uncaring way.  
  
 _“I see,”_ his leader responded, giving him a look. Acting like this was a bit suspicious to the Hokage, but really, at this point he didn’t care. He was tired and wanted to go home. _“While I understand this makes things a bit more complicated, I do insist she stays at your house, Kakashi. She’ll be safest there, especially after the wards have been upgraded.”_ _  
_  
Whatever, he thought. It would seem he would just have to deal with that, just like before. At least he had more answers now. He wasn’t going in blind, knew quite a bit of what she could do. Of what the kid could do. Maybe he could take advantage of that.  
  
After the dismissal of the Hokage, he walked towards her and slowly reached out to her in order to take them home. He couldn’t help himself as his grip tightened as she flinched. Come on, Kakashi, he thought. He would not let it get to him.   
  
As they appeared in the living room, he was glad they appeared next to the couch. It meant he could leave right away. He heard her call after him, asking him to wait. He didn’t. He wanted a shower and his bed and there was no way he was giving that up in favor of watching her be terrified of him. She could go and figure that out on her own. He already told her what he could. There wasn’t anything else he could do for her anyways.  
  
He turned on the shower and stripped out of his clothes. The water was scorching hot, but he didn’t care. Maybe the sting on his skin would help him forget, even if it was only momentarily. Just to be able to not think for a little while. He’d give anything in the world to not think or feel anything right now. Feeling the burn of the water, he changed the temperature to cold. He placed his hands against the tiled wall and ducked his head under the spray, soaking his head, clenching his eyes shut.  
  
After a few minutes, he heard shuffling on the other side of the door and sighed. Couldn’t she just leave him be? He didn’t want to talk with her, he wanted to be left alone. A soft pound was heard on the door, a lot lower than he had expected. Had she fallen? No, she would’ve yelled out if she had, right?  
  
 _“Shi!”  
  
_ Of course, the kid. How could he have forgotten? But what was the kid doing here? She should be watching him, not let him wander around the house. He turned the shower off and grabbed a towel. Cursing himself that he forgot to bring a mask with him, he looked around for anything else to use. Kakashi, you idiot. One towel, really? Well, he sure as hell wasn’t going to scare the kid by showing up naked, so he would just have to hope it was only the boy that was behind the door. He hated not being able to sense them, he would have to figure out how to change that.   
  
He wrapped the towel around his waist after quickly drying himself and opened the door. _“What?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Shi!”_ The boy said, holding his hands up. _  
__  
__“Yes, what?”_ Kakashi said impatiently. He was definitely not going to pick the kid up. He wasn’t his responsibility. _  
_ _  
_ _“Mai,”_ he said, pointing towards the living room, before signalling he wanted to be picked up again.  
  
 _“What about her?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Mai hurt.”_ Hurt? Not this again. He hadn’t felt anyone enter his house and he hadn’t heard her fall or call out for help, so what..? Then he heard it. The sniffling and the soft sobs. She was crying. Of course she was, she was always crying it seemed. But, he supposed it was to be expected after everything. He just didn’t know how someone could cry this much. He couldn’t even remember the last time he cried.  
  
 _“And what am I supposed to do with this?”_ Why was he talking to a toddler again? It wasn’t like the kid could hold a conversation. _  
_ _  
_ _“Mai_ hurt _!”_ The boy spoke insistently, reaching for Kakashi’s leg to stabilize himself as he looked up and pointed towards the living room.   
  
Kakashi let out a sigh and rubbed his forehead. _“Okay, okay. Let me get dressed.”_  
  
He walked past the boy and quickly threw some clothes on, including a mask this time. As he walked back out, he looked at Teddy whose lip was trembling as if about to cry. His shoulders sagged as he moved towards the boy and bent down to pick him up before making his way towards the living room. She was no longer sobbing, but still sniffled a little bit. He knew he should’ve stopped when she asked him to as he looked her over. She looked absolutely miserable. Damn it.  
  
What was he supposed to do now? He wasn’t one to comfort anyone. Honestly, he didn’t know how. Never had to comfort anyone, not really. And he doubted a challenge would be something she wanted, she wasn’t Gai. He was tempted to ask for his friend, but knew he had to explain everything to him first, so there was no way that was happening. Who else? Shisui? No, he was good with the kid, but didn’t speak her language. Tenzou was out, he wouldn’t do that to either of them. Then.. Genma? No, definitely not. He was not letting him near her. He was going to have to trust his gut on that.  
  
Again, he sighed. Fuck, this was all so troublesome. He set Teddy down on the floor and walked towards her. What now? Think Kakashi, you’re a genius, surely you can think of something to say.  
  
 _“Hermione-san?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Go away.”_ She said, her voice muffled by the pillow she was resting on. _  
_ _  
_ _“I’m not going away, this is still my house.”_ He deadpanned, with a raised eyebrow. Which she couldn’t see, but that didn’t matter. He didn’t mean it in a harsh way and had made sure his voice portrayed that.  
  
 _“Fine,”_ she said, sitting up but not looking at him. _“Then I’ll go.”_ She stood up slowly, obviously in no condition to leave, even if she was allowed to, which she wasn’t. There was a massive target on her back, his as well.  
  
 _“No, you won’t.”_ Kakashi got up as well. She tried to get away from him, but was hilariously slow and stumbled as she tried to speed up. He was beside her in a blink of an eye, stabilizing her.  
  
 _“Don’t touch me!”_ _  
_ _  
_He didn’t listen and didn’t let her go as she tried to pull her arm away. She kept tugging and even started crying again. _“Damn it Kakashi, let me go! Please, please!”_ She cried out.  
  
 _“No.”_ He pulled at the arm he was holding, pulling her towards him and encircled his other arm around her as well, holding her to his chest. She started thrashing about, trying to get out of his hold, but he wouldn't budge. While he didn’t know what he was doing exactly, didn't know what to say either. He was just copying what he had seen his sensei do in the past with Kushina and Rin when they were upset. He knew she needed this and knew deep down she knew that too. _“I’m not going to hurt you, so stop fighting. You_ are _safe here. No one will hurt you.”_ _  
_  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Trapped. She felt trapped and she needed to get out, but he only held her tighter. Why wouldn’t he just leave her alone?! He didn’t want anything to do with her half an hour ago, so why bother now? Hermione tried her hardest to get him to let go, even going as far as to punch his chest multiple times.  
  
“I’m not going to hurt you, so stop fighting.” He said in a calm voice, which was almost soothing. “You _are_ safe here. No one will hurt you.”  
  
Kakashi comforting her only made her cry harder. It was so goddamn ironic. After a few minutes of resisting and punching his chest she lost the strength to keep fighting. Her fist that still rested against his chest opened and she grabbed his shirt, twisting it in her grip. She was tired, so tired. All the fight in her left as he said those words. Feeling her knees buckle, she hung onto Kakashi as he gently lowered her to the ground, kneeling down next to her as he held her tight.   
  
It was quite clear he hadn’t done much comforting in his life. His hold was awkward and not really comforting at all, but the thought that he of all people held her, somehow helped. He didn’t do anything other than that. He just held her and it had been just what she needed. To know she wasn’t alone. After a few moments, he started to move a little and she backed away. She noticed he actually looked a bit embarrassed, a small blush appearing at the edge of his mask. She wasn’t surprised to see him this flushed, she didn’t think he’d go around hugging women on a regular basis.  
  
“Um, thanks.” She said softly. She wasn’t really sure what to think of this.  
  
She heard him clear his throat and mumble something as he stood up and left again.  
  
“Wait, Kakashi-san?” She tried again, hoping he would actually wait this time. Surprising her as he did, turning to face her. “I- I wanted to apologise, for my reaction. From before.” She started, looking at her hands instead of him. “I didn’t- It’s like I don’t know what real anymore and-”  
  
“It’s fine.” Hermione looked up in surprise. It was fine? She knew it wasn’t, she had _felt_ it. Felt the hurt she had caused. It was far from fine.   
  
“It’s not, though.” She argued. “It can’t possibly be fine! I hurt you!”  
  
Kakashi let out a humorless chuckle, “you hurt me? As if.” He shook his head and turned back around, leaving the room.  
  
“Don’t lie to me! I felt it! The hurt you felt, I could feel it!” She yelled at him as she sat up on her knees. The previous vibe had completely disappeared from the room. Even Teddy had looked up to look at both of them in confusion.   
  
“How could you possibly have _felt_ it?” He hissed, clearly challenging her. “Wasn’t it _you_ that told me that you didn’t know what I was talking about when I asked you what you were doing to me?”  
  
“I-” Shit. Shitshitshit. She had said that, hadn’t she? Stupid. What now? She couldn’t lie now, he’d never believe her. Not that he had before, but at least she could feign ignorance then. She screwed up majorly now.   
  
“Well?” He moved back into the living room, arms crossed. “Please do explain that to me, Hermione-san.”  
  
Leaning back, she looked back down. How was she going to explain this to him? He’d think she was mental. Did they even know about something like this here? Damn it, this just got a whole lot more complicated. “I- I don’t know how to. It’s going to sound crazy.”  
  
“I’m sure I can keep up.”  
  
Of course he thinks that. He probably could, too. She knew he was smart, that much had been clear. Okay, think, Hermione. She felt her brow furrow as she thought about how to explain this. But wait, she wasn’t the only one who needed to explain things, was she? Not really. While she knew he was completely in his right to not say anything about it, she would still need to address it. It would also help to explain all this.  
  
“I know you’re Hound.” She whispered softly.  
  
“Don’t change the subject.” She wasn’t sure if she should count it as a win that he didn’t deny it. This was going to be harder than she thought.  
  
“I’m not changing the subject.”  
  
Kakashi snorted in response, “you just called me a dog.”  
  
“Don’t be an idiot, I did not.” She said, she felt herself get annoyed with his attitude, crossing her arms as well. This was not helping at all. It was truly impossible to have a normal conversation with this guy, wasn’t it?  
  
“Yes, you did. You do know a hound is a dog, right?”  
  
“Of course I know- You’re being impossible! I did not call you _a_ hound. I said that I know you _are_ Hound. The guy with the white animal mask?” She said, using her hand to make a vague motion towards her face.  
  
“Uhu, right.” He responded dismissively. “And what makes you think I am?”  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes at that. This was even worse than having an argument with Harry _and_ Ron, his attitude was absolutely awful. “I don’t think you are him, I _know_ you are.”  
  
“Oh, right. My bad, you _know_. And of course, you know everything and you’re always right, aren’t you?”   
  
That stung and hit a bit too close to home. She swallowed the lump in her throat before responding. “Stop being like this, you’re acting like a child.”   
  
Before either of them had a chance to say something else, someone knocked on the door. Her heart started racing. She heard Kakashi sigh and mumble again, walking towards the front door and opening it. She couldn’t hear what was being said, but a short moment later, the door clicked shut. Hermione looked up to see Kakashi walk back in, followed by a younger kid. He looked to be mid-teens and had his brown hair pulled up in a ponytail. The most notable feature was the horizontal scar on his face.  
  
The kid looked extremely nervous and started blushing as he saw her, stuttering something that maybe sounded like a greeting, but she wasn’t sure.  
  
“This is Umino Iruka-san,” Kakashi said. “He’s here to help with the wards.”  
  
Ah, right. The Hokage had said something about that, hadn’t he? She just didn’t expect someone this young.  
  
“Stay here while we work on the wards.”  
  
“I- yeah, sure. I’ll just-” but whatever she wanted to say fell on deaf ears as Kakashi left the room, the younger teen in tow, Iruka was it? He seemed nice enough. She didn’t think he spoke English though, so it would be of no use to try and converse with him.  
  
Hermione shook her head and glanced at Teddy, who was busy trying to build something with the blocks she had provided. Now that she thought about it, maybe she could take a shower or better yet, a bath. She felt disgusting and all the crying she had done didn’t help that fact. And she could definitely use that time to think things through. She had a feeling Kakashi wouldn’t let this go, so she’d better think of a good answer.  
  
“Okay, bud, let’s get ourselves cleaned up, hm? After that we’ll have to go hunt for some food, you must be starving. I know I am.” She said to him.   
  
As she stood up, she tested her leg by applying a little bit of weight on it. It didn’t hurt as much as it had before, for which she was glad. She would just have to make sure not to apply too much weight on it. She couldn’t wait to get to bed and just sleep. She felt like she could sleep for at least a week. But, first things first. Shower, then food and somewhere between those two she would have to figure out what to tell Kakashi. Hermione didn’t think she could do anything else than tell him the truth. Yeah, if anything was clear it was that sleep would have to wait for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I'd love to hear what you guys think! Let me know in the comments! :D


	22. Baby Steps

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helloo~
> 
> So, this chapter has been done for a while, collecting dust. I wanted to wait a little before I updated, because I'm not too happy with it. But as always I'm super impatient, actually surprised I managed to not update it before, haha!
> 
> This hasn't been properly checked, since I made some last minute changes. Hope you enjoy it!

**Chapter 22: Baby Steps** **  
** **  
** **  
**After having cleaned all the grime and blood from their bodies, Hermione dried both Teddy and herself off and got dressed. Walking towards the kitchen, Teddy started struggling in her arms again.  
  
She sighed and set him on the floor, “You want to do it yourself, don’t you? I get it, I get it.”  
  
Letting him crawl on the floor, she made her way to the kitchen, seeing if they had any food in the house, at all. She checked the fridge, finding it empty. Well, there went any hope for a fresh meal. Maybe they still had some food in any of the cupboards, she thought. But that hope was soon crushed when she couldn’t find anything that even resembled food.   
  
Figuring she’d have to ask Kakashi to get some food, she slowly made her way to the living room, knowing he and the other teen were in the garden. Teddy had also made his way up to the living room, having found a toy to play with. Walking up to Teddy, he looked at her as she limped towards him, sitting up and leaned on his hands.   
  
“What are you- oh! Teddy! You’re such a smart boy aren’t you?” She praised as she watched the little boy trying to stand. “Come on, sweetie, you can do it!” Hermione said as she stopped walking towards him, trying to encourage him to try and come to her.  
  
Her heart swelled with pride as she watched him try to find his balance. Clapping as he was able to keep his balance, “that’s it! Good job!” Teddy started clapping as well, letting out a laugh.  
  
“Now, sweetie, think you can come over here, hm? Think you can walk towards me?”  
  
“Ma-mai!”  
  
“Wh-what did you say?” Hermione sputtered, wide eyed.   
  
“Ma-mai!”   
  
Oh, Merlin. Any thought Hermione had, had disappeared from her mind as it registered what was being said. Bless him, she thought. She didn’t have it in her to correct him. She didn’t know what to say or do at that moment, staring at him with her mouth open in surprise. And of course, Teddy doesn’t do anything in halves, does he? He slowly and very unsteadily patted towards her, falling down a few times, but getting right back up.  
  
It took less than a minute for him to get to her though, she had only been a few steps away from him. He stumbled against her legs, but steadied himself, looking up at her with a big smile on his face. “Mamai, mamai! Up!”  
  
Hermione couldn’t help it as she choked back a sob, this time of happiness. “Oh, Teddy. I’m _so_ proud of you! You did so well!” She said as she bent down and picked him up, hugging him tight.   
  
“So, so proud!” She twirled around as she kept her hold on Teddy tight. Teddy in return giggled and squealed with joy, clapping his hands.  
  
She heard a throat being cleared behind her, making her turn around suddenly. Her heart was pounding and as she realised there was no danger, she let out a relieved sigh. Kakashi stood there with the brown-haired teen next to him, both looking at her. While Kakahsi seemed as emotionless as ever, she could see a bit of pride in his visible eye. The thought made her give him a smile. She watched as he blinked at her before giving her a nod.  
  
Kakashi then turned to Iruka, saying something before leading him to the front door. A moment later he was back, “Umino-san is done with the wards.”  
  
“That was quick.” Hermione said surprised. She knew she hadn’t been in the shower that long. Not that she knew how long something like this would normally take, but it still seemed rather fast.  
  
“We already had wards in place, remember? All he needed to do was put an extra layer on it. It’s not as complicated as actually placing completely new wards.” Kakashi explained. “Now, with that taken care of, it’s time we talk.”  
  
“Actually-”  
  
“Don’t try to-” Kakashi interrupted her.  
  
“Would you please let me finish?” Hermione in turn interrupted him. “Yes. We need to talk. That much is obvious. I _know_ that.”  
  
“Then what?”  
  
“We need food, Kakashi. There’s nothing here and I can’t remember the last time I had a decent meal. Also, I have no idea when Teddy last ate something.”   
  
Kakashi sighed, but nodded. “Alright, okay. I’ll go to the store then. Anything specific?”  
  
For a second there, Hermione didn’t know what to say. She hadn’t expected him to agree that easily. And was he actually offering to go?  
  
“Don’t look so surprised, Hermione-san. You and I both know you’re in no condition to go shopping. This will be easier and quicker.”  
  
“O-of course. Yes. Thank you. Could you bring some veggies for him? And maybe some fruit?”  
  
“Sure. I’ll be right back.” He was barely done speaking when he disappeared from the house.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
If Kakashi was completely honest with himself, he had to admit he enjoyed getting a rise out of Hermione. It was good to see some of the liveliness he had seen before. Of course he wasn’t going to admit to being Hound. He wasn’t sure how he felt about being interrupted, however. It gave her another out and he was done with that. He was going to get answers from her. Today.  
  
The wards had informed him of the arrival of the Chunin before the knock came. He wished he had gotten a little more time, but in all fairness, he wanted to get this over with as well. Kakashi wasn’t sure what this Chunin could offer in this case but he was willing to give it a shot. The Hokage wouldn’t just recommend anyone.  
  
He opened the door to reveal a brown-haired Chunin, who was a few years younger than him. Ah, yes. He remembered him. Umino Iruka, his mind supplied. Kakashi had been the squad leader on one of the missions Umino was sent on. The mission had gone downhill quite fast after the kid had taken pity on one of the enemy nin. Shortly after that mission, he had requested to become a teacher at the academy.   
  
“Ah, um, Hatake-san, I apologise for disturbing you. Hokage-sama asked me to help with your wards? Oh! Sorry, I’m U-”  
  
“I know who you are. Come in, Umino-san.”  
  
“Ah, right. Yes, of course.”  
  
Kakashi moved to the side as he let the Chunin into the house. He heard the kid mumble an apology as he entered the house, removing his sandals as he did so. He watched the kid who looked extremely on edge. Seriously, the kid needed to relax a little. He wasn’t going to bite. As soon as the kid was ready, he made his way back to the living room. It was probably best to start in the garden. That was where all the previous wards had been put into place.  
  
Entering the living room, he saw Hermione look up in surprise, having forgotten about the Hokage’s order no doubt. Beside him he could hear Iruka mumble a greeting. While she had learned most greetings, he doubted she could hear that.  
  
 _“This is Umino Iruka-san,”_ Kakashi said. _“He’s here to help with the wards.”_ The surprise on her face quickly changed into understanding. _“Stay here while we work on the wards.”_ _  
_ _  
_He turned to Iruka and tilted his head towards the door that led to the garden, indicating that that’s where they were going. He could hear Hermione stutter a response, but he ignored it. The wards were more important now and it would definitely need his focus.  
  
Kakashi showed the Chunin to the garden, where the wards were previously placed. His house was almost at the center of the small Hatake compound, which was why the wards had been placed here. A few yards from the backdoor, there was a stone placed. The stone marked the spot where the wards had been placed. He wasn’t sure how it had been done, his ancestors had been the ones to do so.   
  
“Y-you have a beautiful garden, Hatake-san.”  
  
Really? Small talk? Kakashi gave a grunt in reply, not bothering to actually give the kid a proper reply. He didn’t do small talk, surely the kid knew that?  
  
“S-so, um-”  
  
“How long will it take to place an extra layer on the wards?” Kakashi knew he was being incredibly rude as he continued to interrupt Iruka. And while Kakashi truly appreciated someone coming here to make sure his house was secure, he didn’t like anyone invading his privacy. He just wanted Iruka to get started and leave as soon as he could.  
  
“I have to inspect the current wards first, so that I know what I’m dealing with and to check if I can apply the new layer over the old ones, without messing them up.”  
  
“Go for it.”  
  
“Right, okay. Let me take a look.” Iruka moved through the garden with a frown on his face. Kakashi followed his every move, watching for anything that would be suspicious. Just because the Hokage had trust in him, didn’t mean Kakashi would just blindly trust the Chunin. Looks could be very deceiving.   
  
“Well?” He asked impatiently.   
  
“Well,” Iruka started. “From what I can tell, the wards are definitely strong. It’ll be more complicated than I had originally thought to put another layer on it.”  
  
Kakashi raised an eyebrow at that, stopping himself from letting out an annoyed sigh. “But you can do it?”  
  
“Oh, yes. Definitely, Hatake-san. Don’t worry about that.” Iruka said as he took a scroll from his pouch. “I should be done in no time,” he added as he started drawing the seals needed for the wards.  
  
The kid hadn’t been lying. He was done within half an hour. Kakashi could feel the new layer strengthening the original wards. This would definitely help protect his home. He didn’t care much for himself, he knew he could defend himself. He also knew Hermione could protect herself to some degree but it had become clear she was no match for shinobi of his caliber and that included Root. Not to mention countless other shinobi in the village.  
  
Kakashi made his way back to the living room, as Iruka finished up. He paused at the sight that greeted him. Hermione stood in the middle of the room, completely focused on Teddy, who was taking one shaky step after another. Every couple of steps he fell down but got right back up, determined to go to Hermione. The kid was actually walking? He hadn’t seen the boy do anything else than crawl, so this was actually quite something, he knew.   
  
_“Wh-what did you say?”_ Hermione sputtered in response to something Teddy said. He glanced at her and saw her looking at the boy wide eyed.   
  
_“Ma-mai!”_ The boy repeated. Oh damn. That was not something he had expected to happen. Actually, as he thought about it, he should’ve expected it. The kid had called him ‘dada’ on several occasions. Why wasn’t she correcting him, though? She wasn’t his mother.  
  
As Teddy reached Hermione, he looked up and asked to be picked up. While that happened, Iruka had come up beside him. Kakashi cleared his throat, signalling to Hermione that she wasn’t alone. Her response was a complete one-eighty from what had just enfolded in front of him, she turned around, fear across her face before realising she wasn’t under attack. This would take a while.   
  
Catching his gaze, she gave him a small smile. She caught him off guard with that. He blinked a couple of times and gave her a nod in return. Maybe they could work this out after all. After showing Iruka out and getting back from the store, he prepared himself for the conversation they were going to have.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione tried to calm her nerves as she put Teddy to bed. With everything happening she had completely lost any sense of time and was shocked to see it was way past Teddy’s bedtime when they had finally finished eating. Kakashi went to clear the table as she went to the bedroom. Giving Teddy a kiss on the top of his head, she tucked him in and wished him goodnight.  
  
As she got back to the kitchen, Kakashi was already sitting at the table. A cup of tea in front of him. She noticed he had removed his headband, but kept his left eye closed. She sat down and was happy to see he had made her a cup as well.   
  
“So,” she said as she took the cup into her hands. The warmth radiating from the cup actually made her relax a bit.   
  
“So,” Kakashi parroted.   
  
Hermione swallowed the response that threatened to come out. No. They could do this. They could have a talk without getting into a major argument or without yelling at each other. And if he wasn’t going to act like an adult then she would have to. But, Merlin, how she wanted to smack him for behaving like this.  
  
“Right. Well. It’s clear we both have some things we haven’t told one another. And-”  
  
“And what? I don’t have to tell you anything.” Kakashi said. Hermione had to bite her tongue then. For the love of- this was _impossible_.   
  
”Besides, you seem to have forgotten that you’re still in our custody. We don’t know you and are still uncertain whether or not we can trust you. So you don’t get to demand answers, Hermione-san.”  
  
She wasn’t sure what to think of the way he spoke to her. He had a point, of course. She was still, technically, a prisoner. They may have given her some freedom and even her wand back, but that didn’t mean they fully trusted her. She would have to earn that trust. Hermione knew that one way to start earning it, was to be truthful. Kakashi was suspicious of her, that much was clear. Who could blame him?  
  
“I know that. I haven’t forgotten.” And she hadn’t. She knew where she stood. The Hokage had been kind to her, as had several others. The whole situation with what she learned was the Root organisation proved that even being somewhat trusted by the leader didn’t mean anything here.  
  
Looking down at her cup of tea, she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. “I wasn’t trying to change the subject.” She said.  
  
“Hm?” Kakashi looked up at her in confusion.  
  
“When I started about you being Hound.” She clarified, “I didn’t say that to change the subject. The reason for saying that had everything to do with what’s going on between us.”  
  
“Oh? How so?” He cocked his head at her, in that annoying way. As if he had no idea whatsoever what she was talking about.  
  
“Really? Don’t act like you don’t know, Kakashi-san. I know that you know what I’m talking about.” She was getting exasperated by his behaviour. Hermione kept eye contact as she angrily glared at him.   
  
They kept glaring at each other. She didn’t back down, though. She wouldn’t give him that kind of satisfaction. He would have to learn that she was not going to give up, especially when she knew she was right. There was no way in hell he couldn’t have known.   
  
It was a few moments longer that they looked at each other, before Kakashi sighed. “Okay. I’ll give you that one.” He then raised his eyebrow at her in a playful way and said with a chuckle, “you’re stubborn as fuck, anyone ever tell you that?”  
  
“Plenty of times,” she said with a small smile. “All jokes aside, I didn’t know at first. I mean, I suspected it, obviously. And after I didn’t experience it with anyone else, it became pretty clear.”  
  
Kakashi hummed in return, “about that. You’ll tell me about it? I mean, it’s obvious you know what’s happening between us, at least to a certain extent.”  
  
Hermione knew he wasn't actually _asking_ her to tell him, he was almost ordering her to tell him. And she knew he had a right to know. Not because she was living in his house and definitely not because they didn’t trust her completely. This affected him too. That was why he had a right to know. She just didn’t know _how_ to tell him. She thought so much about how to explain it, yet she still didn’t know. It was probably best to just start at the basics.  
  
“The thing that happens between us,” she started softly, eyes trained on the table. “I’m not sure if you are familiar with this here. Honestly, I don’t know much about it either, where I’m from it’s so rare-”  
  
“ _What_ is rare?”  
  
“We call them ‘bonds’. You don’t have that here?” She asked, moving her gaze back up to him. Kakashi wasn’t looking at her, though. His brows furrowed as he seemed to be contemplating what she said. “I’m assuming you don’t know what I am talking about?”   
  
“I’ve never heard anything about these so called bonds that would even slightly resemble whatever it is that’s happening between us.” He sounded frustrated at that admission.  
  
“Right. Well, if I’m completely honest, there’s not a lot I do know about these bonds either. I’ve heard of them, but-” She fell silent after that. She suspected he wouldn’t accept that answer, yet it was all she had at the moment. Unless… Of course, she groaned as she hid her face in her hands.  
  
“What’s wrong?”  
  
“I’m so stupid, how didn’t I think of this before?” She said standing up and quickly limping towards her bedroom.   
  
“Mind filling me in on what you’re doing? Hermione-san!” He yelled after her, his chair scraping against the floor but she ignored it.   
  
This was her territory, this she could do. Now, where did she put it? Hermione looked around the room, making sure to be quiet for Teddy who was sleeping. She glanced at the small stack of books on the small cabinet. The one she was looking for wasn’t there. Okay, bag. Where was her bag? A-ha!  
  
She moved to the other side of the bed, to the nightstand where her bag was placed. Up until now she hadn’t had the time to properly sort through it but she knew there was a book in her bag that would explain it all. Well, not everything, she knew there was still so much that had to be researched on it. Reaching into the bag, she felt around, finding it had sunk all the way to the bottom. It was quite a large book, mostly on wizarding families and bloodlines. While she was a muggleborn, she did find it incredibly interesting to read, hoping to understand them more. Hoping to understand their thought process more.  
  
As she entered the kitchen, now with her hands full, she found Kakashi sitting down at the table. Chair back in place. He looked at her hard, with both eyes this time. Yes, it was very clear he was pissed at her, she just decided not to care about that this time. Hermione stopped next to her chair and dropped the book on it. “This,” she said, “is what will clarify our situation.” Sitting back down, she added “I think.”  
  
“I remember reading a passage on bonds between certain bloodlines.” She said as she flipped the book open, browsing through the pages, skimming sections here and there. “It said something about how the bonds work. It was a bit vague, but I hope there’s something in here that will tell us a bit more.”  
  
Kakashi let out a humourless chuckle. “You hope? So, what you’re actually telling me is that you have no fucking idea what this is?”  
  
Hermione paused her skimming, stopping her finger on a section about some family’s ancestors and looked up. “No,” she said, raising an eyebrow. “You’re not listening to me. I never said that. I know what this is, I’ve told you what this is. What I don’t know for certain is what it _means_ and how it _works._ There’s a difference.” She knew she was being insolent in the way she spoke to him. It was incredibly rude, especially for someone in her position.  
  
“Get to the goddamn point, Granger.” Yep, definitely pissed off. Well, two could play that game.  
  
“Shut up! I’m looking, okay?” She said angrily, moving her attention back to the book.   
  
Suddenly she was pulled from the table and slammed against the wall with a hand wrapped around her neck. Hermione put her hands on the arm used to hold her neck, trying to get him to let go. Kakashi moved closer, his chest touching hers and put his face right next to hers, lips near her ear. “Don’t fuck with me. You won’t like the consequences if you do,” he hissed.   
  
“P-please,” she gasped, eyes squeezed shut. Her nails dug into his arm as she tried to get him to let go. The strength in her grip waned as the feeling their connection caused went through her. It was so weird to feel these sensations at once, almost as if they were fighting each other.  
  
“Look at me!” He ordered. Scared to make him even angrier, she opened her eyes immediately. “You _need_ to understand what your place is in all of this.” His tone was cold and flat as he looked at her.  
  
“I- I understand. Please, don’t hurt me. Please.” She pleaded.  
  
He sighed in response as he visibly calmed himself down. She kept digging her nails in his arm, though. Thoroughly afraid that if she let go, he’d hurt her. His other hand easily grabbed her left wrist and pushed it up, next to her head. As his fingers flexed around her neck and wrist, he paused. It made her open her eyes in question, her gaze locking onto his. He was incredibly close to her like this, which made her feel trapped all over again. She watched as his eyes flickered to her neck and then to her wrist before moving back to her eyes. Hermione could see the question in his as his thumb softly caressed the thin scar on her neck and his other hand moved to touch the lower part of her left arm.  
  
The sensation of both his touch and the usual feeling that came to life between them had her breathless, gasping for air. It had nothing to do with him holding her neck. No, that hold had lessened the moment he felt her scar there. The same happened to her arm as she felt his fingers trace the letters that Bellatrix had carved into her arm.   
  
He took a step back, his body no longer touching her as he let go of her neck and moving his attention to her arm, holding it in his hands. Kakashi only had felt a small part of that scar, her sleeve covering the rest of it. Hermione felt herself tremble as he slowly moved her sleeve out of the way, feeling the rest of it. Surprisingly, he didn’t look at what had been carved into her arm, instead he kept his eyes on her.  
  
“What does it say?” He asked softly.  
  
She took a shaky breath, closing her eyes momentarily. “‘M-mudblood’.” She whispered. “It says ‘mudblood’.”  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you guys think!
> 
> Until next time! Stay safe!


	23. Scars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> Time for a new chapter! I think this is my longest yet!
> 
> I apologise in advance for any grammar/spelling mistakes that were made.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 23: Scars**   
  
  
‘Mudblood’ he thought, watching her eyes as she opened them again. Kakashi could guess the meaning behind the word. Especially considering the book she had been reading a few minutes before he threw her against the wall. Which, in hindsight, might not have been the best way to deal with his frustration. She just had this gift to get under his skin so fast. Was that maybe something the bond was responsible for, in a way? Or was it just her?    
  
He looked at her face as she clearly avoided his gaze. Was she ashamed of her scars? Most likely, given her response to this. He wondered what had happened to her, who or what gave her these scars. From what he understood, she came from a whole different world. Not just because of her abilities, but also because of her upbringing. While having scars and getting tortured is by no means a normal thing here, it’s most likely a lot more common here than where she’s from. It's definitely clear that they deal with it differently.    
  
The thin scar on her neck seemed bad enough, even though it was small. Having a scar there only meant that you were in a tight spot and that in turn meant she was lucky to be alive. What interested him more was the word scratched on her wrist. That scar seemed almost fresh, like a wound, which wasn’t possible since he knew no one had done anything like that to her while she was here. This wasn’t something that had happened when Danzo had gotten a hold of her either. If that were the case, the wound would most likely still be bleeding.    
  
Kakashi finally looked down at her wrist, seeing the scar for what it was. It looked as ragged as it had felt when he touched it. It was an angry looking scar, really. It really made him wonder.  _ “When did you get this?” _ He asked her softly. He kept his eyes on the scar this time, giving her the time to respond if she chose to. He actually didn’t think she would, given her reaction to all of this.   
  
_ “It’s- about a year and a half ago.” _ Her voice was so small he had to strain his ears to make sure he had heard properly.   
  
That long ago? A scar like this shouldn’t still be looking like a fresh scar.  _ “Why hasn’t it healed properly?” _ He asked. He wondered if he should call for Yugao to take a look at it.   
  
_ “It- I don’t know. I mean, it’s always been like this. She- she used a cursed knife, and because of that, it won’t heal any further.”  _ _   
_   
She? Cursed knife? He wasn’t sure what that meant but it wasn’t hard to guess. He focused on the scar with his Sharingan this time. It was weird to see, but there were definitely some irregularities around the word written on her arm.  _ “She tortured you.” _ He wasn’t asking. This wasn’t something that was done accidentally.   
  
_ “Yes.”  
  
_ _ “Why?” _ He knew why people were tortured. He wasn’t asking that and he had no doubt Hermione understood that.    
  
She was silent for a while, until..  _ “It’s complicated.” _   
  
Kakashi had to refrain from letting out a sign. Well, of course it was complicated. But he wanted to know.  _ “Then explain it to me.”  _ _   
_   
She looked up at him at that, looking at his left eye.  _ “What about your scar?”  
  
_ He couldn’t help his reaction to that. He snorted. _ “What about my scar?” _ He asked, eyebrows raised, _ “I hope you don’t think that’s the only scar I have.” _ _   
_   
_ “No, I know you hide your scars. Just like I do. And I don’t see you explaining yours. So why should I?” _   
  
It was Kakashi’s turn to stay silent as he contemplated that. She made a valid point, why  _ should _ she explain it to him? Just because he wanted to know? He couldn’t describe it but there was a need inside him. A need to know what had happened to her, to understand it. The longer he touched her arm, the stronger this need seemed to become.   
  
Kakashi’s sharp ears picked up her heartbeat that seemed to be beating harder as well. This kind of answers the question of what caused this need. It had to be this bond that he still knew nothing about. Putting her sleeve back as it was, he let go of her arm and took another step back. Kakashi was well aware of their so-called bond during their physical connection. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t as affected as she clearly was. Feeling her heartbeat speed up and hearing her gasp definitely didn’t leave him as composed as he wanted to be. This just fueled his need to know more about it. And in order to learn more, he needed her to find the information in whatever section it was in the book.    
  
The story of the scar would have to wait for now. He couldn’t blame her for not wanting to tell him, he wasn’t prepared to say anything about his either. Without saying anything he turned around, moving to make another cup of tea for the both of them. It would give her a moment to compose herself. He was far from done with her, though. Right now he wanted to know about this bond, after that she would have to spill the beans on the abilities of the kid. Kakashi hadn’t forgotten what had happened, the way the boy’s hair suddenly looked exactly like his. The way he then changed his appearance to look like Shisui. Did she have the same abilities?   
  
As the water started to boil, he glanced over his shoulder at the witch with one eye. He had closed his left one, the strain getting almost unbearable with the amount of time he had been using it these past couple of days. She still looked a bit shaken but did seem to calm herself down. Good.  _ “Sit down.” _ He said, nodding at the chair. He made sure not to sound as annoyed as he was, it would only invoke another sassy response for her and he had heard enough of those. This surely would be a bit more well-received, right?   
  
_ “Excuse me?!” _ He couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes at her response. Well, apparently he was wrong. Go figure.    
  
_ “I told you to sit down.” _ Kakashi put another cup of tea in front of her.  _ “We’re going to finish this conversation tonight. No more avoiding or deflecting this subject.” _ Again, he didn’t mean this in a bad way and did his best to not sound annoyed or anything like that.    
_   
_ _ “You’re one to talk,”  _ he heard her mumble. He figured it was probably best if he didn’t respond to that comment.   
  
She sighed as she took her seat, pulling the book back towards her, clearly annoyed with him. She continued to browse through the pages for what seemed like forever. He was actually surprised at the speed she was going through the book, checking every page.    
  
_ “Oh! I think this is what I saw before.”  _ She suddenly said. Glancing at the clock, he noticed it had only been about fifteen minutes or so. He watched as she turned the book around and shoved it under his nose, pointing at a paragraph.  _ “See? It explains the bonds a little here.” _ _   
_   
Kakashi glanced at the page, attempting to read the text. He was going to have to take her word for it. He knew how to read English a little bit, but only what had been in the scrolls that Minato-sensei had shown him. And even then, he had struggled a little, even though he refused to admit that out loud. Looking up from the page to glance at her with his eyebrows raised, he cocked his head in question.    
  
_ “What?” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “What does it say?” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “What do you mean what does it- wait. Can’t you read?” _ She blurted out.   
  
_ “I can read just fine, thank you. I just can’t read that.”  _ He rolled his eyes as he pointed at the page. ‘Can’t you read?’ she said. Unbelievable.   
  
  
  
-   
  
  
  
“Oh, right. Of course. I’m sorry,” Hermione rushed to apologise, “I didn’t mean it like that.” Honestly, she was so tired that she had almost no filter in what she was saying. She would have to make sure not to say something stupid. She had a feeling he wouldn’t appreciate that.   
  
“Right, whatever. Just. Explain to me what it says.” He said with a wave of his hand.   
  
“Right. Of course.”    
  
She summarised what she had read in the text. To put it simply, what had happened between them was completely accidental. There was nothing either of them could have changed in order to prevent this bond. And most important of all, it wasn’t something they could remove. Bonds like this were, for lack of a better word, forever.    
  
Hermione was almost scared to look at him to see whatever reaction she was going to get to this news. She knew he wasn’t going to like it.  _ She _ didn’t like it. It basically meant she was stuck with him in terms of this bond. Worst of all, this wasn’t even everything. She still had to figure out and explain to him about what it would mean for them. How the bond worked. It didn’t say in the text here and she wasn’t completely sure it was even in this book. Merlin, she hoped it was. Hermione didn’t want to find out through trial and error.   
  
As she raised her gaze to his, he looked impassive. Closed off. Like a statue. If she didn’t know any better, she’d think he hadn’t heard her. But she  _ did _ know better. And she  _ knew  _ he had heard her. Suddenly there was a feeling of panic coursing through her. While she was panicking a little after having read this, this wasn’t her. Was  _ he _ panicking?    
  
The second that thought entered her mind, the feeling was cut off. Like a door slamming shut. At the same time she saw him blink. Did he actually consciously stop himself from feeling like that? She never thought anything like that was possible. To be in control of your emotions like that. It made her wonder what he had to have been through in order to perfect that.   
  
“Is that all?” He said in a very calm manner.    
  
It threw her off. She didn’t like this, he was already impossible to read and now this? No reaction to what she had said whatsoever? All she got was him asking if that was all?  
  
“This is everything I could find on what this bond is, yes.”   
  
He let out a frustrated sigh and leaned back in his chair, hands coming up to grasp his hair, before leaning forward again, resting his elbows on the table with his head down.   
  
“Kakashi-san?”   
  
“So there’s nothing we can do to break this bond? Nothing at all?”   
  
“No, I- if what I’ve read is correct, then no. This bond can’t be broken.”   
  
“ _ Fuck _ .” He hissed and slammed a fist on the table, resulting in his teacup falling on the floor. Hermione barely managed to save hers. Before she could even say anything to him, he had scraped his chair back so fast it fell over and was out of the kitchen.   
  
“Wh- Kakashi!” She called after him. “Wait!”   
  
She scrambled after him, cursing her injured leg in the process, stopping only when she heard the door slam shut. She had barely made it out of the kitchen.   
  
“Well, that went about as well as it could,” she muttered sarcastically.    
  
She turned back around, making her way back into the kitchen, this time more slowly. She shouldn’t have tried to rush after him, her leg sure as hell didn’t agree with that action. Hermione decided against bending down to pick up the broken cup, but instead pulled out her wand and with a quick swish she had repaired the cup and placed it on the kitchen counter, next to her own which she had placed there right before. She then picked up the book and slowly made her way to the bedroom. She was ready to lay down and just sleep for a week, Kakashi be damned.   
  
  
  
-   
  
  
  
Kakashi couldn’t believe what she was saying. He was stuck with her, bound to her, forever? He cursed his rotten luck as he ran away from his home. It sounded pathetic and extremely childish. Hell, it was. He just didn’t care right now. It was as if his whole being just didn’t matter anymore. It was all being decided for him and he hated feeling this powerless, not being able to have any say in this whatsoever.   
  
His mindless wandering led him to the doorstep of his kohai. He wasn’t sure what led him here, deciding whether or not he should go. It was late and Tenzou’s lights were off. Yeah, he should go. Taking a deep breath, he turned to leave as the door slowly opened.    
  
“Senpai?” The question was clear in his voice. Kakashi never just showed up like this.  _ Never _ .   
  
“It’s nothing. Sorry I woke you.” He dismissed the worry that was clear in his subordinate’s voice, not looking at him.   
  
“Senpai, I don’t mean any disrespect, but that’s bullshit and you know it.”   
  
Kakashi sighed as he looked up at the sky, eyes flickering from one star to the next. “It’s fine, Tenzou. My mistake. Go back to bed.”   
  
“I’m already up now, so you might as well come on in. I’ll make some tea.”   
  
Kakashi sighed at Tenozu’s stubbornness. “Actually, you don’t happen to have sake by any chance?” Kakashi was not in the mood for tea. The thought of tea made him think of her. Of the shocked look on her face as he slammed the table and spilled his tea.    
  
“Sure, I still have some somewhere, let me go get it. Make yourself comfortable on the couch, okay?” Tenzou said as he disappeared into his bedroom, probably to put on a shirt as he wasn’t wearing one.    
  
Kakashi walked inside and closed the door. Bending down to take off his sandals before making his way to the small couch that was planted on the left side of the room. As he sat down, he pulled his mask down as well. Tenzou owned a small apartment, just like Kakashi’s previous apartment. There wasn’t a lot of space, but he knew the wood-user was fine with it. He was barely home with all the back-to-back missions they did and didn’t own a lot of stuff anyways.  
  
He was brought out of his musings as Tenzou plopped down on the couch beside him, carrying a bottle of sake that was still half full and two cups, placing both on the table. Without uttering a single word, he poured the drink in the cups and handed Kakashi one of them. Kakashi quickly downed the drink and placed the cup back on the table in order to get a refill. Tenzou wordlessly filled it up, before taking a sip of his drink.    
  
“So, what made you come over at this hour?”   
  
While he was glad Tenzou didn’t beat around the bush in situations like these, he wasn’t sure he wanted to talk about it. Thinking about it, he hadn’t talked about it at all. He knew he had mentioned it to the Hokage but after that single conversation about it, it hadn’t been mentioned again. Normally Kakashi was alright with not talking about it. He’d just go to the memorial stone and talk about it there. That would be his next stop, before going home, because he knew he couldn’t leave Hermione alone for long. No doubt the Anbu watching his place had seen him leave. Who was it tonight? He realised he didn’t even know.    
  
There wasn’t a reason to worry though. Iruka had done a good job with the wards, keying him into it in a way that he could even feel it now. Only Hermione and Teddy were inside. As long as he didn’t feel any changes, it would be alright.   
  
“Can’t I just come visit my dear kohai?”    
  
Tenzou actually snorted at that and rolled his eyes. “Sure, because that’s what you always do, senpai. You always come by at one in the morning asking for sake.”   
  
“It’s complicated, Tenzou.” Was what he ended up saying, with a sigh, not beating around the bush for once. It was ironic. Because wasn’t that the same thing Hermione had said to him not even an hour ago?   
  
“Is it?”   
  
Kakashi looked up at Tenzou, trying to read his expression. He didn’t give away much this time around. “Hm?”   
  
“Is it complicated? Or are you just saying that so that you don’t have to answer?”   
  
Damn Tenzou. He had a point. Was it really that complicated? Well, in a way it was. But it all came down to one simple sentence, didn’t it? “I am, somehow, bonded with Hermione-san.” There. He said it. It was weird saying it out loud, but it did make him feel a bit lighter.   
  
Now  _ that _ got Tenzou’s attention, if his reaction was anything to go by. He saw his head whip around, eyes wide. “What?”  
  
“Do I really have to repeat that?”   
  
“No,” Tenzou replied slowly. “I suppose not. But, how?”    
  
“We don’t really know.  _ Apparently  _ it’s something that happens randomly.” Kakashi said while shrugging, his voice betrayed how he really felt about it though.    
  
“I- I don’t really know what to say, senpai. I mean, for how long?”   
  
Kakashi slid down, barely sitting on the couch as he threw an arm over his face. With a muffled voice he replied, “Forever.”   
  
“Wha-  _ Forever?! _ ”   
  
“Yep,” he responded with another dramatic sigh. “You can say it, Tenzou. I’m fucked.”   
  
“Don’t be so dramatic, senpai,” he said laughing softly. “It’s not the end of the world. Will you explain it more, though? I’m sure you could use someone to confide into.”   
  
He had a point. Of course he did. When did the kid get so goddamn smart?. Kakashi took a sip of his drink as he thought about where to begin. Well, the beginning was a good place to start. So he did. He explained to Tenzou what had happened the first time he touched her arm and how it escalated over time. He ended up telling everything, well, almost everything. He didn’t mention the time he fell on her, yeah, he was taking that to his grave. Nor did he say anything about what had happened earlier that evening with him slamming her into the wall and seeing her scars. It wasn’t his proudest moment and it was also her story to tell.    
  
  
  
-   
  
  
  
Hermione felt incredibly groggy as she woke up. She sat up in her bed, looking around. Something had woken her up but she wasn’t sure what. Looking at the crib where Teddy was still soundly asleep, she realised it wasn’t him that had woken her up.    
  
She carefully got up, making sure not to put too much weight on her leg. Really, she couldn’t wait until she could walk properly again, this was frustrating her to no end. Hermione grabbed her wand as she made her way to her bedroom door, listening closely for any noises. Hearing nothing, she opened the door and took a peek into the hallway.    
  
The light in Kakashi’s bedroom was on, the door slightly ajar, while she could’ve sworn all the lights had been off when she went to bed. She deemed it safe enough to check if out, thinking they couldn’t be burglars or anything like that. Surely they wouldn’t be so stupid to break into someone’s home and turn on the lights. Maybe Kakashi had returned home?   
  
_ “Honestly, senpai.” _   
  
Senpai? She’s heard that word before. One of the men on Kakashi’s team called him that, didn’t he?   
  
“Hello?” She said softly, as she approached the door and opened it slightly to look inside. She saw two men standing, well, one standing. She wasn’t sure what Kakashi seemed to be doing.   
  
“Hello,” the brown-haired man replied. “Did we wake you?” He asked, looking at her apologetically.   
  
“Um, yes, but that’s alright I suppose,” she shrugged as she looked at the teen hanging onto him. “Is he okay?”   
  
“Oh, heh, yeah, he’s fine. He just had a bit too much to drink.”   
  
Hermione raised her eyebrows at that. “He’s drunk?” Looking at the man she had been bonded with, she almost felt bad for him. This proved he hadn’t taken the news well, at all. She just hoped this wouldn’t be a regular thing, seeing as she had seen him drunk before, when he had found her in his house. She didn’t want to deal with someone who would run to alcohol whenever things got tough.   
  
“Well, technically he’s out cold. I just wanted to make sure he got home in one piece. Oh! I’m Tenzou by the way.”   
  
“Oh, I’m Hermione,” she awkwardly responded.    
  
“Yes, I know.” Of course he knew who she was. Nice going, Hermione, she berated herself.   
  
“Do you need a hand?”   
  
“Nah, I’ll just throw him on the bed.”   
  
Which he actually did, tossing Kakashi on the bed, who actually did seem to be out cold.   
  
“Just leave him like this, alright? He’s probably going to be a bit cranky tomorrow, so be prepared for that.” He said as he turned to her. She wasn’t sure what to say in return so she just nodded. “Okay, I’m going home. If you need anything-”   
  
“I’ll call out to the Anbu stationed outside, I know.”   
  
Tenzou smiled a kind smile at her before nodding at her. A moment later, he had disappeared from the room. Hermione looked at the silver-haired teen in front of her, almost falling off the bed. She sighed at the sight, completely ignoring Tenzou’s advice on leaving him be and moved towards him to make sure he was properly. As soon as she touched him, he moved lightning fast, however, grabbing her arm in return and threw her on the bed. It all happened in the blink of an eye.   
  
Her first reaction was to push him off, but he had somehow managed to grab both her wrists in his one hand, his other hand pushing a knife against her throat. “Ka-kashi,” she tried to say, but the knife was only pressed harder against her, not quite cutting her skin. She couldn’t move her legs either, his shins leaning on hers to stop her from moving.   
  
As she looked up at him in horror, eyes wide, she barely noticed that while his eyes were open, he wasn’t seeing her. A small voice in the back of her mind supplied that it wasn’t him, he was simply reacting to being touched in his sleep, but it was ignored as a surge of fear cast out any other thought she had.   
  
Not a second later, Kakashi was torn off of her and thrown against the wall on the other side of the room. One of the Anbu held him down, while another carefully moved towards Hermione. Hermione scrambled back on the bed, trying to get away from all of them. She needed to get away, she wasn’t safe here. It wasn’t safe. She had to go. All the thoughts going through her mind consisted of just that. She needed to leave. Take Teddy with her and leave.   
  
She ran out of the room as fast as her leg would let her, not even checking if anyone was following her and ran into her own room, grabbing any of her stuff she could find and shoving it into her bag. Carefully picking Teddy up, making sure not to wake him, she turned in shock as her door slowly opened. In the opening stood one of the Anbu that had tried to approach her, hands up in the air as to say they meant no harm. Looking at the mask, it was the same Anbu that had helped her get some food from the market.   
  
“Granger-san, I know you’re scared but you can’t just leave. You’ll only be in more danger.”   
  
The laugh that escaped Hermione was one of utter disbelief. “ _ More _ danger? And what do you call that?” She said, pointing in the direction of Kakashi’s bedroom.   
  
“You shouldn’t have touched him while he was asleep and-”   
  
“Oh, so it’s  _ my _ fault. That’s great, really. Thanks for that.”   
  
The Anbu let out a sigh at that. “Alright, how about I’ll take you to stay with someone else for the time being? You’ll be able to stay there for the remainder of the night. We’ll figure out what to do from there.”   
  
Hermione knew she had no say in this, so simply nodded in agreement. She stiffened as the Anbu moved towards her slowly, making sure not to make any sudden movements. “Okay, I’m going to touch you now, so that we can go somewhere else. Please don’t freak out.”   
  
And so he did. He held her by the arm, encircling both her and Teddy as they disappeared in a swirl of what seemed to be leaves. The curious side of her wondered where those leaves came from as there were most certainly no trees in the house. A moment later, they stood in front of a house. The Anbu had let her go and told her to stay put as he knocked on the door. From where she stood, she couldn’t see who had opened and they had spoken in hushed tones, so there was no telling who it was.   
  
Suddenly the Anbu disappeared, showing the person he had brought her to. Yamanaka Inoichi. He smiled a tired smile at her as he beckoned her inside, dressed in a robe, clearly barely awake himself. This was the final straw, as she couldn’t keep it inside anymore. She started crying as she walked inside. The door softly closed behind her, and then she felt strong, comforting arms around her.    
  
“You’re going to be alright, Hermione-san. Come on, let’s get you to bed, you must be exhausted. We’ll talk in the morning.”   
  
He led her inside the house, to a small guest bedroom. Inoichi was right. She  _ was _ exhausted. Hermione put Teddy on the bed and put herself next to him, holding the boy close to her. She heard the bedroom door close and Inoichi speaking to someone in his own language but it barely registered as she drifted off. She’ll deal with it in the morning. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment to let me know what you think! <3  
> They make my day and inspire me to keep writing :D
> 
> Until next time!


	24. All Actions Have Consequences

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helloo~ 
> 
> It's a bit later than I had liked, but life got in the way. It happens, eh?  
> Hope you enjoy it!
> 
> I apologise in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes!

**Chapter 24: All Actions Have Consequences  
  
  
** Kakashi woke up with a jolt, eyes wide as the nightmare evaporated from his mind. Groaning, he grabbed his head as the major headache made itself known to him. Fuck, what the hell had happened? The nightmare was… Had he gone drinking? He wasn’t sure if he had. His mind was all fuzzy. Kakashi groaned again, he never thought thinking could hurt this bad.   
  
“Ahem,” the sound of someone clearing his throat, sent him into action, reaching for the kunai hidden under his pillow, only to find none there. What the-  
  
“Yeah, we took that one, Boss.”  
  
Kakashi let out a groan again, did he really have to talk this loud? Couldn’t he see his head was killing him? He slightly opened his right eye, looking at Genma who was leaning against his bedroom wall.   
  
“What the fuck are you doing in my house, Genma?”  
  
“Oh, it’s not just me, boss.” The grin was evident in his voice. “The whole team is here.”  
  
He did not like the gleeful sound of the senbon-user’s voice. Sighing, he dropped back onto the bed, eyes closed. “Any particular reason why?”  
  
“You got drunk and attacked Hermione-san.”   
  
_That_ got his attention, sitting back up right away, eyes open. “ _What_?!” he hissed angrily.  
  
“Don’t get angry at me, boss. I wasn’t the one who held a kunai at her throat.” Genma replied, unimpressed with Kakashi’s actions.   
  
While getting scolded by his subordinate was not something he appreciated, he did get the information he needed. How did he not know about this? Was he really that far gone? If he thought real hard about it, he remembered running from the house and ending up at Tenzou’s place. Tenzou, did he know what had happened between that time and apparently attacking Hermione?   
  
If he thought about it though, he remembered vaguely getting dumped on a bed and then, a rush of adrenaline as his instincts kicked in. Someone who he hadn’t sensed had tried to grab him, right? No, wait. The surge of intense fear he had felt in his nightmare, wasn’t a nightmare at all, was it? Suddenly he could see her eyes, pupils wide as she stared at him. Shit. _Fuck_.   
  
Speaking of, he struggled to broaden his senses with the headache, but managed to check the wards of the house. Genma had been right, the entire team was here. He wasn’t sure he was happy for allowing them inside the wards at the moment, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was... Where was Hermione? He hadn’t… had he?  
  
Before he could ask just that, the door opened, revealing Tenzou. “Ah, senpai, you’re up.”  
  
“Yeah, what the hell happened, Tenzou?”  
  
“What’s the last thing you remember?”  
  
Oh, for fucks sake, really? “I remember being at your place, having sake and- us talking.” He answered, getting annoyed. He struggled to get the next words out, which Tenzou took as him not knowing, apparently.  
  
“Right, so you don-”  
  
“Damn it Tenzou, just tell me.”  
  
Tenzou in turn sighed, moving a hand through his short hair. “You drank ‘til the point you got knocked out. I brought you home. While doing so, I apparently woke Hermione up. I told her to just leave you be, but-”  
  
“But, what?”  
  
This time Genma cut in, “We think she tried to touch you, maybe make sure you didn’t fall off the bed or something? We’re not sure. In any case, you responded poorly to that. Shisui and I felt your chakra spike, followed by a rapid increase of your killing intent. We managed to drag you off of her, but the damage was already done.”  
  
Damage was already done? Dread filled Kakashi. Had he hurt her? Was she hurt? Had he- No, he hadn’t actually killed her, had he? He turned to look at his bed. No. The sheets were the same and there was no blood there, not that he could smell anyways. So, then.. What?  
  
“She tried to leave,” Genma continued, seemingly oblivious to Kakashi’s internal struggle, “but I stopped her from going. I took her to Yamanaka Inoichi, sooner than planned. I figured that was the best course of action, since he knows of her as well. And she was supposed to meet with him anyways.”  
  
“So, she’s not hurt? I didn’t hurt her?” He asked softly. Please, please say he hadn’t done anything like that.  
  
“You didn’t hurt her physically, no. Psychologically? She was absolutely terrified of you. You should’ve seen her.”  
  
Hearing that made his stomach drop. Shit. He sagged his shoulders, feeling defeated. Kakashi knew they weren’t getting along great and him throwing her against the wall was already _really_ bad. But this- this was _so much_ _worse_. He rubbed his face with his hands and then moved them up to grab his hair as he let out a long sigh, looking at his feet. He was _so_ stupid. He should’ve never drank that much to begin with. This kept getting worse and worse and he felt like he was losing any and all control over this situation.  
  
“Senpai?”   
  
He couldn’t do this. How could he even look his team in the eye now? They had to drag him off of her? _Fuck_. He had violated any trust she had given him. Right now, he needed to be alone, though. He needed- he needed to think.  
  
“Leave.” He said quietly.  
  
“Boss, I don’t think-”  
  
“I said, leave.” He said again, his voice calm, the anger was still easily heard. He didn’t look up at them, keeping his gaze on the floor.  
  
The pair hesitated for a few seconds before moving towards the door. Without a word, they left the room and closed the door behind them. As the door clicked shut, he sat back down. Face once again buried in his hands. This was so fucked up. What was he going to do now? He needed to think. And he knew there was only one place he was going to be able to properly think. He got dressed and left the house, making his way to the Memorial Stone. Time to pay his old friend a visit.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione slowly woke up to the sound of childish giggles and small feet stomping around. She frowned at that, not remembering ever hearing this since she stayed at Kakashi’s home. Kakashi… She sat up straight, suddenly, remembering the night before. Placing a hand on her chest, she tried to calm herself down as she felt her heart beat like crazy under her palm. Calm down, Hermione, she thought. You’re alright. Just _calm down_ , she thought as she remembered exactly _where_ she was.  
  
“Mamai,” Teddy cutely rubbed his eyes as her movement had woken him up.  
  
“Hello sweetheart, did you sleep alright?”  
  
She smiled a big smile as he sleepily nodded in response. “You’re such a bright boy, aren’t you?” She cooed. A soft knock was heard, making her head snap up. “Yes?” She called out.  
  
The door opened slowly, followed by Inoichi poking his head in, “Ah, good. You’re awake. How’re you feeling?”  
  
“Um, alright, I think.”  
  
“I’m glad. If you’re hungry, I made some breakfast for you and the little man.” He offered with a kind smile.  
  
“Thank you, I’m famished and I’m sure Teddy is too.”   
  
She got up, feeling embarrassed of the state of her clothes as she slept in the same clothes she arrived in, and followed Inoichi downstairs. As Inoichi led her into the kitchen she saw a glimpse of a brown-haired woman carrying a young girl in her arms as they left through a different door.   
  
“Please, sit,” he said, pointing at one of the chairs. He moved to the counter and started grabbing stuff from different cupboards as she placed Teddy in a high chair before sitting down herself.  
  
Inoichi sat down across from her after placing a plate of food in front of her. Before she could move to feed Teddy, he had taken the spoon and turned his attention to Teddy. He stayed silent as he fed the boy, giving her time to eat as well. She wasn’t sure if she should say something so she didn’t, instead focusing on eating.  
  
Hermione must’ve zoned out a little, because the next thing she knew, a steaming cup of tea was placed in front of her, replacing her plate. Looking towards Teddy, she noticed he wasn’t there anymore. She didn’t even get the chance to panic as a comforting hand was placed on her shoulder. She glanced at Inoichi, who smiled down at her.   
  
“My wife took the liberty of watching him while we talked.”  
  
“Oh, right. I’m sorry, Inoichi-san, I must’ve zoned out.”  
  
He took his seat across from her again, taking his own cup of tea into his hands. She noticed he had a notebook next to his hands, with a pen on top. Noticing her glance, he explained, “The Hokage has asked me to talk with you, regarding the events that have happened. To check if you’re alright. This was decided before you were brought to my house, but I figured we might as well hit two birds with one stone.”  
  
She frowned at that. “So, this is a psych evaluation?”  
  
Inoichi hummed at that, “well, yes and no. We want to make sure you’re alright and see how you’re dealing with all of this. And, if possible we want to give you the tools to learn how to process this.”  
  
Hermione looked at him with a raised eyebrow, “I’m fine, I don’t need-”  
  
“Being tortured isn’t not something you can just brush off, Hermione-san.’ Inoichi interrupted. “It can change you, change the way you think, the way you act. You have to take this seriously.”  
  
“I _know_ that, thanks.” She responded, feeling herself become angry  
  
“You _know_? How would you know? You can’t just compare torture to something else.”  
  
“This wasn’t-” she started angrily. Taking a breath she tried to calm herself down. She knew he didn’t know, so it wasn’t fair to talk to him like that. “This wasn’t the first time,” she said softly.  
  
“This wasn’t your first time?” Inoichi repeated slowly. “You’ve been tortured before?”  
  
Hermione nodded in reply, not trusting her voice. While Dolohov had used the Cruciatus Curse on her, she didn’t need that experience to remember the feeling. She didn’t think she would ever forget how it felt. It’s always in the back of her mind and if she ever forgot, she had a nice memento to help her remember, she thought bitterly.  
  
She heard him pick up his pen and write something down. “May I ask how you dealt with that?”  
  
Hermione frowned at that. How did she deal with it? Well, there wasn’t really time, was there. When they escaped the Malfoy Manor, they had to bury Dobby and after that went about planning on how to get into Gringotts. They kept going after that, all up until the war. Even after that, they had been too busy mourning the losses, she just tried her best to forget.   
  
“There was no time. There were other things that were more important, so I- I guess I just didn’t think about it. Kept myself busy.”  
  
“I would like to know more about that. If you’re willing to tell me, Hermione-san. I don’t need specifics, I just want to understand more about what has happened before you came here. So that we can help you.”  
  
Hermione hesitated. Should she tell him? Like he said, she wouldn't have to say anything specific. She would have to explain certain aspects, of course, but it wouldn’t be as emotionally taxing. She hoped.  
  
Slowly nodding, she said. “I suppose I could tell you a little bit.”  
  
Inoichi smiled encouragingly at her. He got up to prepare another cup of tea and flipped to a new page of his notebook. “Okay, whenever you’re ready.”  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  


Kakashi was annoyed and frustrated. Extremely so. Really, he had been feeling like this for the past two weeks. He didn’t want to admit to it, but he had been feeling like this ever since the incident with Hermione took place. Incident. He shook his head at his thoughts, it wasn’t just  _ an incident _ . He could’ve killed her. He probably would’ve if Shisui hadn’t been fast enough. He knew he hadn’t been in his right mind. Alcohol and his always positive thoughts didn’t mix, that much was clear. Combine that with a weary shinobi that barely had any rest… Yeah, that doesn’t work at all.    
  
After speaking to his old team at the Memorial, he knew he had to seek her out to at least apologise, with her fear still in the back of his mind. He needed to explain to her that it hadn’t been her fault. It was his. He shouldn’t have left, shouldn’t have gotten drunk. He looked up at the night sky, at the stars. It  _ was  _ all his fault, wasn’t it? All of it. Obito dying. Rin dying. Hell, even Minato-sensei. Sure, he didn’t cause the Kyuubi to attack, but he didn’t help either. And yes, okay, he was forbidden to go and help, but  _ still.  _ He could’ve done  _ something _ .   
  
And then Hermione. He had treated her like trash, really. While she did have a way of getting under his skin, that didn’t mean he could treat her the way that he did. He could easily brush it off to the fact that he was tired since he was taking back-to-back missions, but he knew that was just an excuse. Up until now he just refused to accept her behaviour towards him. But now he knew that wasn’t fair at all.    
  
It had taken the past few weeks to come to terms with their situation as well. He wasn’t saying that he accepted their predicament, but he realised there was nothing they could do about it. They just needed to communicate. Talk about what they were going to do now, how they were going to deal with it,  _ if _ they were going to deal with it. Which is what he wanted to talk to her about, if he was given the chance. He wasn’t given that chance though.    
  
He  _ had _ tried. Right after spending time at the Memorial Stone, he made his way towards the Yamanaka residence. That’s where he hit a bit of a snag. Because Inoichi wouldn’t let him see her. Told him that she was in no condition to see him and that it would be best to leave it alone. Shortly after that visit, he was called into the Hokage’s office. Now,  _ that  _ was an interesting meeting.   
  
Flashback two weeks ago   
  
_ He entered the office, fully prepared to take a verbal beating. Not that it would have mattered, even the Hokage couldn’t have given him a worse beating than he himself had already done. Not in his opinion, at least.   
  
It had been quite a big lecture he had gotten, the Hokage even felt like he needed to be reminded that something like this could land him in prison. Attacking a civilian, with a kunai no less? That usually was a one-way ticket to prison. He knew that, of course.    
  
Then the fun part of the conversation started. Which meant he had to explain his point of view of what had happened. He knew none of his team had informed the Hokage of the bond. At least, he didn’t think Tenzou had briefed the Hokage just yet, seeing as he was a bit drunk himself too.   
  
“Kakashi? I asked you a question. Don’t make me repeat myself.” Right. It was probably best not to anger his leader any further by not paying attention.   
  
“I’m- I apologise, Hokage-sama.”  
  
_ _ He figured the best possible way was to tell the Hokage what he and Hermione had talked about up until now. Which is exactly what he did. “Remember when I talked to you about the weird things going on with Hermione-san? When we touched?”   
  
At the nod of the Sandaime, he continued. “Well, as it turns out, Hermione-san and I are… Well, bonded.”  
  
_ _ “Bonded? How?”   
  
“We don’t know. The bond itself was something that just happened. And anything other than that, we don’t know. We don’t know what this will mean for us.” He said, shrugging his shoulders. “As for what happened last night,” he continued, clearing his throat. “I didn’t deal with the news that well.”   
  
_ _ Kakashi explained for the second time what the bond entailed, or at least what he knew of it. After that he went on about what had happened and how he ended up attacking Hermione. He explained he remembered vaguely what had happened that night, but only after he had woken up. That during the incident itself he had acted purely on instinct.    
  
“I haven’t seen her yet and-”   
  
“You won’t.”   
  
Kakashi’s head shot up at that. “I won’t?”   
  
“No, you won’t. For now, she will be staying with Inoichi. I have spoken to him about this and from what he has seen he feels that it would be better if she would stay with him for a while.”   
  
“Wh- He can’t just-”   
  
“She’s been through a lot in a short period of time, Kakashi. She will need time to work through that, to figure everything out. And so do you, by the sound of it.”   
  
Kakashi looked at his leader in disbelief. He couldn’t believe this was what had been decided. Didn’t he get a say in this? The Sandaime once again shuffled his papers around, this time producing a mission scroll from a stack.    
  
“I also have a mission for you, just you. It’s simple enough, but I want you to take your time for this one. Use that time to gather your own thoughts.”   
  
Kakashi bit back the rude remark that threatened to spill out, wanting to tell him that he didn’t need time to ‘gather his thoughts’ and instead said, “yes sir. Understood.” _   
  
End of flashback   
  
So here he was, somewhere in the middle of nowhere, collecting his thoughts. He would make his way back to the village tomorrow. Kakashi hated to admit that it had been a smart idea. He  _ had _ needed this. He did still have a lot of questions, which only made sense in his opinion. In order to get answers, however, he would need to speak with Hermione. He just didn’t know if he would get that chance anytime soon.   
  
  
  
-   
  
  
  
Hermione made her way from the market back to the Yamanaka-residence, carrying two grocery bags. She hummed a song she had heard on the radio a few years ago as she walked past the different vendors, smiling and nodding as they greeted her. It had become a regular occurrence for them. Hermione had been going to the market almost every day for the past week.    
  
Inoichi had been a huge help these past two weeks. His wife had helped take care of Teddy as she had her daily sessions with Inoichi, to talk about her past. Besides their daily talks of her vaguely talking about what had happened to her, he spent another few hours helping her with the language. She was proud to say she had picked up quite a bit in a short amount of time. Inoichi sure as hell was surprised by it. She just figured it was best to keep busy, learning as much as she could, especially now she had help with Teddy. It had given her a lot more time to do so.   
  
Arriving back at the Yamanaka’s family home, she called out to them, announcing her arrival.  _   
_ _   
_ _ “Ah, welcome back Hermione-san.  _ Did you manage to get everything you needed?” Inoichi said in greeting. He had been working from home for the duration of her stay. He had offered to go with her to the market, but she had insisted on doing it herself.   
  
_ “Yes, I did.”  _ She said while smiling. Hermione tried to speak as much of their language as possible, only switching back to English when she couldn’t find another way to say it.   
  
_ “Very good.” _ He helped her put away the groceries. “Oh, I’ve been meaning to ask. How did your meeting with Hokage-sama go?”   
  
She looked up when he asked that, brows furrowed, but continued to take the groceries out of the bag, placing them on the counter. “My meeting? I thought you already knew that?”   
  
“Ah, well, yes. But I’d like to get your point of view.”    
  
It didn’t make sense for him to ask this, she thought as she stopped taking out the groceries. She turned around and leaned against the counter, looking at Inoichi. The movement made Inoichi pause as well, looking at her in question.   
  
Hermione didn’t ask what she wanted to right away, looking for the right words. “What is it, exactly, what you’re looking for?”   
  
Inoichi stopped as well, looking at Hermione. “Well, while we appreciate you explaining to us what you’ve been through, we haven’t discussed what happened with Kakashi-san.”   
  
Of course, she knew this was coming. She had been able to steer away from this subject for the past two weeks. Not seeing him had helped as well. But she knew they still wanted to know more about what had happened between them. Hermione was aware the Hokage knew they were bonded, but both her and Kakashi hadn’t known anything other than that.    
  
Hermione still didn’t know. She hadn’t dared to look further into it. Did she want to know? Of course she did. If this was forever, she would absolutely want to know everything she possibly could. What she wasn’t sure about was if Kakashi would want to know. He didn’t seem too keen on the idea of being bonded to her and wasn’t that the biggest understatement of the year?  
  
“I already told him what had happened from my point of view, Inoichi-san.”   
  
“Yes, you have. But you haven’t talked about what it has done to  _ you _ , remember? I don’t mind you being vague on your past, but we  _ need  _ to talk about this Hermione-san.” He stressed. “We both know you’re not alright.”   
  
Hermione let out a huff and turned back around to finish unpacking the groceries, staying silent. She wasn’t ready to talk about that. She didn’t even know how to describe it. The last time she saw Kakashi had been… Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying. She knew he hadn’t been himself when that had happened but that didn’t make it less scary. And what she had felt from him, she didn’t even know how to describe it. She’d never felt anything like that. It felt so primal, she had no other way to explain it.    
  
“I know.” She finally said. It was quite a bit different from the “I’m fine” she had uttered at the beginning of her stay.   
  
“Alright.” Inoichi said with a sigh. “Alright. We’ll talk about it later, Hermione-san. How about you tell me more about your school, the last conversation we had was about a man who had broken into your school?”   
  
Hermione smiled at the thought. That had been an interesting year. One where Voldemort wasn’t the one trying to kill Harry, for once. In retrospect, it had been one of the busiest years for her. Following so many extra classes was extremely tiring. On top of that, having to help Harry save Buckbeak and Sirius had been quite rewarding in a way. Yeah, she’ll enjoy talking more about that year.    
  
“Yes. He actually turned out to be a very kind man,” she started, thinking back. She prepared a cup of tea for the both of them as she continued talking about her third year. If it would stop her from thinking about her feelings and thoughts some more, she was all for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!
> 
> As always, I enjoy reading your thoughts and ideas. They help me to keep on writing :D
> 
> Until next time~!


	25. Happy Birthday, Kakashi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> It's time for another chapter :)
> 
> This one is unbeta-ed, so apologies for any mistakes! I tried to filter them out, but it's possible there still are some in there.
> 
> Hope you'll enjoy!

**Chapter 25: Happy Birthday, Kakashi**   
  
  
Kakashi looked up at the blue sky as he left the Hokage Tower and sighed. That had gone better than expected, this day was off to a pretty good start so far. Mission had been a success, of course, and the Hokage seemed pleased to know he had taken his request seriously, even going as far as saying it was up to Hermione now on whether or not she wanted to see him. The Hokage had somewhat jokingly stated  _ someone  _ had requested to give Kakashi several days off, but could only give him as much as two. He rolled his eyes at that. There was only one person bold enough to request that. Of course Gai wouldn’t forget his birthday.   
  
Maybe he could just hide somewhere and wait it out? It would only have to be another eleven, maybe twelve hours. Gai would be bummed if he were to miss to congratulate Kakashi today, but honestly he didn’t care. He wasn’t in the mood for some birthday party the guy had no doubt arranged. Gai knew he didn’t like to celebrate his birthday. He didn’t care for it. What was one more year? He didn’t need to be reminded how many years his life had been fucked up.   
  
He thought about going to the market but decided against it. Too many people for his liking at this time of day and too big of a chance for him to get ambushed by Gai. With a quick Body-Flicker he appeared in his house. The house was quiet. In his opinion, too quiet. While he hadn’t been home that much during Hermione’s stay here, it still made the house seem more, well, homey.  
  
Looking around, he noticed some toys still lying around. Kakashi gritted his teeth as he realised he was to blame for their sudden departure from his house. While it had taken him a bit of time to get used to people staying at his house, he found that he now actually missed the vibe they brought. Shaking his head, he moved towards his bedroom and grabbed a bag. Moving back to the living room, he bent down to pick up the toys and put them in the bag. He didn’t want to be reminded of his most recent mistake.   
  
Once everything was put inside the bag, looking at the bag he thought about what to do with it. Should he drop it off? He really didn’t know if she would need any of this stuff. Kakashi sighed as he knew he had to take the bag to her, just in case. A few quick hand signs later, he was in front of the Yamanaka residence. He hesitated for a moment but then made his way towards the door and knocked before taking a step back.   
  
It took longer than he had expected for anyone to come to the door and had half a mind to just drop the bag in front of the door and leave. As he made the decision to do so, the door opened, revealing Inoichi with a surprised look on his face.   
  
“Kakashi-san,” he greeted him with a nod. “What can I do for you?”   
  
“Inoichi-san,” he replied, “I have something for Hermione-san. I don’t suppose you’ll allow me to see her?”   
  
Inoichi looked at him, with a frown. “Honestly, with the way you came by two weeks ago I had figured you would try again sooner.”   
  
Stay calm, Kakashi, he thought to himself as he bit back an angry remark. He knew Inoichi had been keeping an eye on her and even though he was ‘allowed’ to see her now, he knew they weren’t really excited at the idea of him seeing her this soon.   
  
“I was on a mission, Inoichi-san.” He knew there was a possibility that Inoichi hadn’t been informed of the mission. The man wasn’t privy to everything and this had essentially been a S-rank mission.    
  
“Very well. Wait here, I’ll ask her.”   
  
With a nod from Kakashi, Inoichi disappeared inside the house. He was glad it didn’t take too long, but less happy about the answer he received.    
  
“I’m sorry, she doesn’t feel she’s ready just yet.” Well, at least the man looked apologetic.    
  
“It’s fine.” He had expected it, really. “Can you give this to her?” he said as he held out the bag to the blonde man.   
  
“Sure, want me to give her a message?” Inoichi said as he took the bag from him.   
  
Did he want to? No, whatever he wanted and needed to say to her, she had to hear directly from him. Besides, her message to him was loud and clear. She didn’t want to see him. So he shook his head. “No. That’s all.”   
  
He took a step back and saw Inoichi frown, wanting to say something more. “Good day, Inoichi-san.”   
  
“Ah, yes. Thank you, you too. And, Kakashi-san?” He called out right before Kakashi moved to use the Body-Flicker to leave. “Happy Birthday.”   
  
Kakashi couldn’t stop the snort from coming out. “Yeah, thanks.” He said as he finished weaving the signs and left.   
  
  
  
-   
  
  
  
Hermione held her breath as she listened to the conversation Inoichi and Kakashi were having. When Inoichi had come to ask her if she wanted to talk to Kakashi, her first response was “no”. This wasn’t what she had told Inoichi though. She simply said she wasn’t really sure, to which Inoichi figured saying “no” was the best option. Telling Kakashi that she just wasn’t ready to face him. Hearing that must’ve hurt him, but she just wasn’t sure.   
  
Inoichi knew she had followed him to the door, standing close enough to hear what was being said. She knew Inoichi wouldn’t mind. Would Kakashi notice though? Her heart was beating in her chest as Inoichi asked him if there was something he could tell her. Surely there was something he wanted to say. Right?    
  
Apparently he didn’t, she thought as she let out a shuddering breath. The hurt she felt when he said that was almost crippling. His emotions always were so intense. She was about to walk back into the living room when she heard Inoichi call out to Kakashi once more. Oh, oh no. It was his birthday today? Merlin, no. She couldn’t- no, she had to say something, right? As she turned towards the door, she saw Inoichi walk back inside with a bag in his hands. He looked up at her and gave her a sympathetic smile.   
  
“He left, Hermione-san. I think it’s best if you leave him be for now.”   
  
She looked at him, with a frown on his face. She understood what he was saying, but she didn’t agree with him. “I’m sorry, but I don’t agree with you. No one should be alone on their birthday, Inoichi-san. And now he thinks-”   
  
“He’ll be fine. I’m sure he has someone to celebrate it with. Here, he left this for you,” he said, handing her the bag.   
  
Hermione took the bag but shook her head in denial. She didn’t think he was the kind of person that would seek out someone else on their birthday, not even to simply drop off a bag of… toys? But he did seek out her, a soft voice said in her head. So she knew she  _ had _ to go and see him. Even if it was to thank him for bringing her Teddy’s toys. Hermione wasn’t sure what it meant though. What if this was his way of saying he wanted nothing to do with her?   
  
“Where do you think he is?” She asked softly.   
  
“Hermione-san, I really don’t think this is a good idea.”   
  
“I’m sure I’ll be fine. I’ll even take the Anbu that’s been following me around, if that makes you feel better.” She stated cheekily.   
  
Inoichi looked at her with a worried expression on his face. He looked like he wanted to say something again, anything to change her mind, but seemed to realise that nothing he would say would change her mind. Then he surprised her by doing just that. “I still think you shouldn’t. It’s too soon, Hermione-san. You haven’t even started opening up about what happened and what it did to you.”  
  
She hesitated. He did have a good point. Maybe she shouldn’t, then. But she felt like she at least needed to tell him sorry for not even wanting to see him. She did, after all, dumped the whole bond thing on him and just left him hanging with no other information, not that she really had any. She hadn’t even tried to further look into it, had she?    
  
“Right. I suppose you’re right. I just-” she shrugged, not finishing her sentence. She kind of understood. She wouldn’t want to deal with something like this on her birthday either. Which reminded her, “What date is it today?” She knew it was somewhere in September, but wasn’t sure about the actual date.   
  
“It’s the fifteenth today.”   
  
No way. “And, how old is he now?” There was no way they were this close to the same age, was there?   
  
“I believe he turned nineteen.” She whirled around, looking at Inoichi in surprise. “What?” he said.   
  
“He’s only four days older than me?!”   
  
This time, Inoichi blinked in surprise. “I suppose so, yes. Your birthday is on the nineteenth?”    
  
Hermione nodded in response, “yes, it is, but that’s not important, right now.” She said, waving it off. “I just- I need to go do some research, if that’s alright?”   
  
“Research? Oh- sure. Anything I can help with?”   
  
She chuckled softly, “no, this I need to do myself. Thank you, though.” She said with a nod. “Oh, Teddy’s still at the daycare with Ino-chan, right?”    
  
Inoichi chuckled. “Yes, they’re still there. Won’t have to pick them up for another hour.”   
  
“Good to know, thanks!” She said as she went to her temporary room, digging out the book on bonds.    
  
Hermione had a suspicion that the intensity of their bond didn’t really add up to what she had read at first in the book. Normally, when a bond was formed, it would take some time to reach the level of intensity that had reached. So it didn’t add up that whatever was going on between them was so intense in the short amount of time they had met. It made her wonder if something else was involved as well. Whatever she found, she would need to speak with Kakashi about it sooner rather than later. She just had to be ready for that conversation.   
  
  
  
\-    
  
  
  
Kakashi stood in front of the Memorial Stone once more. That hadn’t gone like he had hoped. Then again, he wasn’t really sure what he had hoped would happen. That Hermione would just forget what had happened two weeks ago and welcome him back into her life? Shit, he sounded pathetic. Did he really stoop so low? Yeah, that wasn’t going to happen. He wasn’t going to let anyone ruin his day like that.    
  
Which now meant he had one last problem to deal with. His birthday. He needed to figure out how he could avoid anyone wanting to drag him to any kind of party. He was never in the mood for stuff like that. Parties just weren’t his thing. And with what had just happened, he was even less in the mood for something like that. Honestly, he didn’t know why they even kept trying. If they dragged him there, he would always leave within the first hour anyways.   
  
“Boss,” came from behind him. What was Genma doing here? Wasn’t he supposed to be watching Hermione? He knew Genma had been there when he had dropped by. Which is also why he refrained from giving Inoichi a message. It was of no business to Genma what he had to say. He turned to face the masked senbon-user, staying silent but raising his eyebrow in question.   
  
“Just wanted to check up on you.”   
  
“Why?”   
  
“Come on, Boss. You and I both know that wasn’t fun.”   
  
Kakashi turned back around, not responding. There was no way he was going to speak with Genma about this, especially since it concerned Hermione. He felt the pang of jealousy again as he thought about how she acted when he was around.   
  
“Boss, I- She was listening, y’know?”   
  
Listening? To his conversation with Inoichi? Shit, sometimes he hated the fact that he couldn’t sense her. “So?”   
  
“She was really upset. I’m just not entirely sure as to why she was so upset. You didn’t say anything of importance as far as I could see. I mean, it could be because of you saying you had nothing to say to her, which I doubt, but her response was too strong for it to be just that.”   
  
“I don’t see why this is my problem, Ge-Bear.” He stopped himself in time. Genma was still on duty as an Anbu. He was getting more annoyed by the second though. Kakashi knew what Genma was getting at. It was the bond. He just didn’t get why Genma wasn’t aware of it. Surely Hermione has been talking about it with Inoichi? But, maybe Inoichi was smart enough to make sure to keep it between them. Genma, after all, is there to protect more than anything else.   
  
“Right, well, in any case, I just came to, eh, to check up on you.” Kakashi raised an eyebrow at that. That was nothing like Genma, to talk like that. He turned back around, watching Genma carefully.    
  
“What are you hiding?”    
  
“Hiding? Nothing. Nope, I’m just here to check up on you, Boss. Since I’ve done that, I gotta go back.”   
  
“Bear,” he said in a no-nonsense tone. “What are you hiding?”   
  
“Nothing. It’s not important. Just forget it. I gotta go, Boss. I think Gai is throwing a birthday party for you at  _ Yamanai kizu  _ in an hour or two **_._ ** Don’t be late.” Genma said before he flickered away.    
  
That fucking- he was totally lying. He knew Genma’s tells. He was withholding information, most likely about Hermione, otherwise he would just get out with it and say it. Damn it. His hand curled into a fist. Genma’s visit left a bad taste in his mouth. His behaviour made it even worse.    
  
As he stood there at the Memorial, he wondered where he should go next. Maybe he should go to the market. He really needed to get some food. Kakashi made his way to the market. On his way he passed several buildings, small shops and even a daycare where some of the clans left their kids to socialise. He didn’t get it. Then again, he didn’t have any kids. Continuing on, he turned the corner, spotting the market in the distance.   
  
“Teddy-kun!” He heard a voice call out.    
  
Teddy? As in.. Hermione’s Teddy? The name was so uncommon, he had no doubt it was. He looked in the direction where the calls were coming from. Couldn’t hurt to check, right? He wondered if it was Teddy, what the boy was doing here.   
  
“Teddy-kun! Oh, oh no. Teddy-kun, where are you? AH! Shinobi-san, you scared me!”   
  
“I didn’t mean to scare you, ma’am.” He replied, with a smirk behind his mask. It was always fun to scare people just a little. “I heard you call out, perhaps I can be of assistance?”   
  
“Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly-” The woman said, looking down shyly. He never got that. They couldn’t see his face, so why the hell would they react like this?   
  
“You’re looking for someone named Teddy?” Kakashi asked, already looking around for the boy, uncovering his Sharingan. Then, he saw a little boy staring at him.. With his face, fuck. Without saying another word to the woman, he turned and went after the boy, only vaguely hearing what the woman was telling him.   
  
“I- yes. It’s an odd name, I know, it’s a small boy and- Shinobi-san?”   
  
Kakashi hopped onto the fence, looking down at the boy who was giggling. Damn, this young and already a little brat. He almost felt sorry for Hermione. Almost. Clearing his throat, he raised his visible eyebrow at the boy who now was looking up to him.   
  
“ _ Shi!” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “You’re a little troublemaker, aren’t you?” _ He commented. “I doubt Hermione-san would be happy to learn about this.” He murmured. “Now, what am I going to do with you?”   
  
Hopping down next to Teddy, the boy stood up with help of Kakashi’s legs and looked up at him.  _ “Shi! Up!” _   
  
The teen rolled his eyes and bent down to pick the toddler up.  _ “So, what now, hm?” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Shi!” _ Teddy happily said, clapping his hands. A second later Teddy’s stomach rumbled, followed by his own. Right. Food it was then.   
  
_ “Come on, kid. Let’s get some food, before I take you back to Hermione-san.” _ Teddy only squealed in return as Kakashi made his way to the market. He glanced at the different stalls while ignoring the weird looks he was getting. He was not going to acknowledge the fact that the kid was sporting his face at the moment. Nope. Not going to happen.   
  
  
  
-   
  
  
  
“What do you mean, they can’t find him?!” Hermione asked in panic. She had been researching the bond in her room when Inoichi informed her of Teddy’s disappearance. She rushed to the front door, quickly putting on her shoes. How stupid had she been to entrust someone she didn’t know to look after Teddy? Not that she didn’t trust the Yamanaka’s decision, that wasn’t the case at all. They trusted this daycare with their own child as well, so of course she trusted their decision. But Teddy wasn’t like their child, he wasn’t like any of the children here. Damn it!   
  
“Hermione-san, please calm down. We’ll find him, the daycare already sent people looking for him. He can’t be far.” Inoichi said, trying to comfort her as he joined her in putting his sandals on.   
  
“I can’t calm down, Inoichi-san. He’s all I have! And he’s been missing for half an hour already!”   
  
“I know that. We  _ will _ find him, though. How about this, you’ll go that way,” he said as he pointed towards the market. “And I’ll go this way. Meet back here in an hour, okay?” He then looked behind her, addressing the Anbu stationed there. “ _ Keep her safe. _ ”   
  
“I- yes. Thank you.” Hermione rushed to say as she turned and ran in the direction he had pointed to, followed closely by the Anbu.   
  
“Damn it,” she said to herself. “Where could he possibly be?”   
  
“Hermione-san-”   
  
She whirled around at the sound, hand to her chest in shock. “Blimey, Anbu-san. You can’t scare me like that!” She scolded. A flash of annoyance went through her as she saw his shoulders move, clearly laughing at her.   
  
“I apologise, ma’am.” He said, humour clear in his muffled voice. “I was going to ask you what he was wearing, so that I know what to look out for.”   
  
After having explained what he was wearing they both slowly but steadily made their way through the market, circling towards the daycare the children had been staying at. They had decided to take this route and check at the daycare if they could find anything that would show where Teddy had gone. She prayed that he hadn’t been taken by someone who meant to do him harm. She wouldn’t know what she would do if that were the case.   
  
He wasn’t anywhere to be found and it frustrated her, but most of all terrified her. He was so young and in no way able to protect himself. Hermione felt her heart beat faster and faster, shit. No. She couldn’t use this. She can’t have a panic attack in the middle of the street. Not while Teddy needs her.   
  
“Hermione-san, what’s wrong? Hermione-san?” The Anbu asked, “are you okay?”   
  
“C-can’t b-breathe.”   
  
“Shit.” The Anbu held her up and moved her to an alley. A moment later, another Anbu was standing in front her with a mask she recognised as well from her first day here. “This is Rabbit. She’s a medic.” He then turned to his colleague and quickly spoke to her, no doubt explaining what’s going on.   
  
“Hermione-san. Rabbit will stay here with you. I’m going to keep looking for the kid, okay?”   
  
Hermione quickly nodded, grabbing her shirt in an effort to try to get more air in her lungs. The man leaving posed another problem, however, as the woman didn’t speak her language and Hermione could barely keep up with what she was saying.   
  
_ “Please, slowly.”  _ She tried to say, hoping the woman took the hint and slowed her speech down. But whatever the woman was saying didn’t make sense to her. The woman's hands glowed a soft green, like she had seen before, in the forest after she had been tortured. Which, in turn, brought her right back to that event, causing her breathing to quicken even more.   
  
_ "Hermione-san, please-"  _ the woman said, but she was too far gone, having a full on panic attack. Even her sight was getting blurry. The woman said something else, which sounded harsh. Almost as if she was cursing.   
  
"Mamai!"   
  
Was that? Teddy? No, she must be imagining things. But it sounded like him.  
  
"Mamai, mamai!" a short moment later she felt a small hand on her cheek, making her blink. It took another few blinks before the blurriness went away, revealing her precious little boy, who's face had morphed into one she didn't recognise. She knew for a fact is was him, though.  
  
At the same time, Hermione felt a feeling of worry and relief wash over her, not all hers. Slowly glancing past Teddy, she saw the familiar silver hair, belonging to none other than Kakashi.   
  
His uncovered eye was trained on her, worry clearly visible and his eyebrow furrowed. She saw his mask move, indicating he was saying something, but she couldn't hear what it was that she was saying.   
  
The woman next to her stood up, nodding at Kakashi before disappearing from sight, leaving her alone with Kakashi and Teddy.   
  
"Are you okay?" She now heard him say.   
  
Hermione couldn't get any words out, so slowly nodded. Her breathing was steadying and her heartbeat had slowed down as well. She kept looking at him, at his calm demeanour and couldn't help but wonder if it was him that had calmed her down.   
  
"Come on, let's get you off the streets." He said, standing up, picking Teddy back up and shifting him in his hold. He then held out a hand for her to take, so she could stand back up. She hesitated a moment, but decided to take his hand.    
  
“Hold on.” Was the only warning she was given, before feeling a rush of movement. She squeezed her eyes shut to brace herself. She didn’t think she would ever get used to this feeling, it was so much different from her Apparition.   
  
When she opened her eyes, she was back in front of the Yamanaka household. Surprised, she turned to look at Kakashi, who seemed to be avoiding her questioning gaze.   
  
“Thank you, Kakashi-san.”   
  
He cleared his throat, still looking away from him. “Yeah, sure.”   
  
“I mean it. If it wasn’t for you, I’d probably still be freaking out. So, thank you.”   
  
“Shii!” Teddy happily squealed, clapping his hands.   
  
Hermione chuckled at the boy and noticed Kakashi’s gaze softened too as he looked at the boy. “And thank you for bringing Teddy back to me.”   
  
“Mhm, of course.”   
  
He was extremely uncomfortable, she noticed. Well, might as well add a little more to that, she thought with a small smirk. As he handed Teddy over to her, she stood on her toes and gave him a soft peck on his masked cheek, before turning around with Teddy in her arms. Opening the door, she paused, looking over her shoulder. Kakashi stood there, frozen, his eye wide. A small blush could be seen over the edge of his mask, which made her smirk turn into a soft smile.   
  
“Happy birthday, Kakashi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know the drill :D
> 
> Let me know what you think ^^
> 
> Until next time~!


	26. Yamanai kizu

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> It's time for another chapter :D
> 
> This hasn't been beta-read, so once again my apologies for any and all mistakes!
> 
> Hope you enjoy~!

**Chapter 26: Yamanai kizu** **  
** **  
**  
Kakashi stood frozen for a few more moments, as Hermione took Teddy inside the Yamanaka residence. His hand moved to his cheek, fingers softly touching the cloth where she had kissed him. What in the world had just happened? Had she really just _kissed_ him? _Him?_ But.. why? He was brought out of his reverie when Inoichi and Genma came running. He looked at them, making sure everything about him was impassive.  
  
“What are you doing here, Hatake?” Inoichi angrily demanded. “I told you she wasn’t ready.”  
  
Kakashi didn’t say anything, only looking at him with a lazy, uncaring expression.   
  
“Leave, now.” Inoichi ordered, “don’t make me say it again.”  
  
“You don’t get to decide that, Yamanaka.” Kakashi retorted, getting angry himself. It was one thing to get angry at the situation, which he understood to a certain extent. It was another to treat him like a fucking child. “And you also don’t get to order me around.”  
  
“I am able to do so when it concerns someone that’s under my care.”  
  
Kakashi rolled his eyes at that. “Whatever. I got better things to do than to get yelled at.” He said as he turned to walk away. He wasn’t even going to bother to use the Body Flicker jutsu to leave. He wasn’t giving Inoichi the satisfaction. Screw that. In the meantime, his brain was going into overdrive. Because not only did Genma witness all of that. Gai was there too. Hell, he wouldn’t be surprised if Gai saw everything. He silently groaned at the thought. That would be hell to explain.  
  
A few blocks away, he did teleport away. He didn’t feel like walking all the way home. Kakashi knew it would only be a short time before Gai would bust in and demand answers. He only got as far as removing his sandals and headband when Gai pounced him, throwing him on the floor.  
  
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RIVAL!” Gai shouted as he clung to Kakashi’s back.   
  
“For fucks sake, Gai, really?! Lower your goddamn voice!” He complained. “And get off my back!”  
  
“I apologise, my Rival.” He said, lowering his voice. Kakashi groaned, rubbing his ears. He should’ve expected this, but it still hurt his ears whenever Gai got excited. “But this is something we need to celebrate!” Gai then got off of his back, allowing Kakashi to stand back up again. A second later the teen had Kakashi in a tight grip, throwing him on the floor _again_ , clinging onto him like a child and… yeah, of course. He was crying. He felt the tears seep into his shirt. “And not to mention the kiss you received! THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL! So romantic, Rival, I’m so jealous of you! You are so lucky to have found love!”   
  
“For the last time, use your inside voice, Gai!” Kakashi complained again, trying to untangle himself from his self-proclaimed rival. “And get the fuck off of me!”  
  
It only took another second, before Gai finally let go of him, standing up as he pulled Kakashi up with him. He started dusting the silver-haired teen off, but Kakashi slapped his hands away, not wanting to be touched another second. He walked away from Gai, going into his kitchen. Grabbing the necessary things he needed to make himself some tea, he asked if his unwanted visitor wanted one as well. Hearing the man softly say “yes” made him sigh.  
  
“Look, Gai, I’m sorry but I’m not really in the mood for all of this. It’s been a trying time these past couple of weeks and I’m just-” Exhausted. Emotionally drained. Done. So, so done. He wasn’t sure what explanation he should give his friend, so he didn’t. Letting him fill in the blanks himself.   
  
“I know, Kakashi. And I know you can’t speak to me about it. Just- Know I am here, if you wish to.”  
  
Kakashi turned around, tiredly looking at his friend. “Yeah, I know. Thanks, Gai.”  
  
“Good, well. I know you don’t like parties,” Gai started and Kakashi groaned in response. “Hear me out, Kakashi. It’s not going to be a big party. I invited a couple of friends. We’re just going to have some drinks, that’s all.” He explained. He was right though, it didn’t sound as bad as he had expected. But he also knew that once Gai started drinking, all previous plans would get thrown out of the window. The combination of Gai and alcohol was not good. “Oh! Maybe I can invite your lady friend and-”  
  
“ _No._ ” Kakashi hissed. “You will _not_ invite her, Gai.” He glared at his friend, praying this got the message across. He couldn’t invite her. She’d never come, anyways.  
  
“Okay. Okay, Kakashi. I won’t.” Gai said, holding his hands up in defence.   
  
“Good,” the silver-haired teen said with a nod. “What kind of tea do you want?” He said, changing the subject, continuing with preparing the tea. It would give him something to do. Gave him the chance to not think about her for once.  
  
  
  
\-   
  
  
  
Hermione softly closed the door behind her. Did she really just do that? What was she thinking?! Her fingers went up to touch her lips. She hadn’t kissed his skin, but still. His mask had been soft and warm. Merlin, she was so stupid. Talk about sending the guy mixed signals. But it did tell her one thing. The moment she had done so, she had felt an explosion of feelings coming from him, confusion being the most pronounced, followed by an emotion she hadn’t expected of him.   
  
The door opening behind her, brought her back to the hallway she stood in, Teddy still in her arms.  
  
“Hermione-san? Are you okay?” Inoichi asked with concern.  
  
“Oh, Inoichi-san. Um, yes. Yes, I’m fine.” She said with a nod. Shifting Teddy in her arms, she walked towards the playpen and put him down. Hermione could feel his eyes on her, watching her carefully.  
  
“What was Kakashi-san doing outside?” He then asked. “Did he bother you? Or-”  
  
“NO! I- I mean, no. No, he didn’t. He helped me when I-” she paused as she looked at Inoichi. “And he found Teddy and brought him to me. Thank Merlin for that.” She said with a sigh of relief, looking back at the young boy. “I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t find him.”   
  
Hermione heard Inoichi walk towards her, slowly, but steadily. He reached out, placing his fingers on her chin and carefully lifted her face up to meet his gaze. “Are you sure you’re alright?” He asked.  
  
“Yeah. I mean, yes. I’m- I’m fine.” She said, “I just- I’m very relieved Teddy is okay.” Hermione turned her head, looking down at Teddy again, who was now looking back up at her. “Hello little troublemaker. Went on an adventure today, didn’t you?” Hermione really wondered whose face he had adopted before. Now he looked just like he normally did, thank Merlin. She wasn’t entirely sure if Inoichi was aware. Had Kakashi even informed the Hokage about it? It did bother her that the glamour she had put on him wasn’t working properly anymore. It couldn’t be the wand this time, she had used her own wand after all.  
  
Teddy giggled in return. He actually had a mischievous look on his face. He was definitely up to something, she thought with a small smile.  
  
She heard Inoichi come up behind her. “Hermione-san? I was hoping we could talk?”  
  
Hermione looked up, catching his gaze. He didn’t say what he wanted to talk about, but truthfully, he didn’t need to. She knew what he wanted to talk about. She bit her bottom lip, deciding on if she was ready to speak to Inoichi about it. Then again, she was so tired of keeping quiet. So tired of carrying this burden alone. She needed to confide in _someone_ about all of this. Not just the bond stuff that was happening between her and Kakashi, nor the fact Dolohov had tortured her. No. It was time to put everything on the table. Especially if she was going to speak with Kakashi in a few days.  
  
“Yeah,” she said hesitantly. “Sure.”  
  
“If you’re not ready-”  
  
“No, I am. You were right, Inoichi-san. It’s time.” She said, turning towards him. “I need to talk to someone. And I wouldn’t know who else to talk to about this.”  
  
Inoichi smiled at her. “Okay, we have a little while before my wife takes Ino-chan back home. Let’s use that time wisely, hm?”  
  
“Yes, let’s.” Hermione said, laughing softly. She had found what a handful Ino could be. The little girl was incredibly determined. Especially when it came to getting her way. She hoped Teddy wouldn’t become like that. There’s no way she could say “no” to him.  
  
Inoichi motioned to the kitchen, where they could both sit, making it a bit more comfortable to talk. She knew he would also be taking notes. Hermione knew that everything she said would be discussed with the Hokage. She’d learned as much from her meetings with the Hokage. She supposed it was fine, really. The last thing she wanted to do is lie to him. It was just- it was easier to talk to Inoichi about it, there was something about telling the Hokage himself that just didn’t feel comfortable to Hermione.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione took a deep breath, trying to keep her tears at bay. This was harder than she thought it would be. The first bit wasn’t as bad, she explained to Inoichi what it was that was happening between her and Kakashi. As she chanced a glance at his face, he looked thoughtful and hummed in response. The only thing he had said on that subject that it did explain their behaviours quite a bit, as he wasn’t able to figure it out before what it was that made both of them act the way they had, especially Kakashi.   
  
After talking about the bonds, which was surprisingly brief, she figured it was best to talk about her time at Hogwarts. Just not the fun stories, this time. No, this time she talked about the bad memories. Seeing her friend fight for his life, year after year. Getting literally petrified, getting chased by a werewolf, which was fun explaining. Hermione was hesitant to dive in deep, for now just telling him what had happened, giving Inoichi an idea of what she went through.  
  
He stayed silent most of the time. Only asking for clarification here and there, which was understandable. It was relieving in a way to finally talk to someone about it, even if he didn’t understand even half of what she was saying. The hardest part for her was talking about them leaving their homes, her erasing herself from her parent’s minds, followed closely by being on the run and then the events at the Malfoy Manor. It held so many bad memories for her. Her getting tortured, Dobby dying. It was one bad thing after another and the next thing she knew she was fighting in a war.  
  
“Wait- Hermione-san, you-” It seemed even Inoichi didn’t know what to say at this point. “Oh, you poor child.”   
  
The next thing she knew, Inoichi had pulled her out of her chair and held her close to him. She couldn’t stop the tears from spilling then, the tears soon followed by a choked sob. She clung onto Inoichi, not daring to let go. Up until this point, she hadn’t talked about it. Not really. Even now, she didn’t express her actual feelings and thoughts on it, but it seemed that wasn’t needed for Inoichi to understand. She was incredibly grateful for that.  
  
They kept standing like that. Inoichi kept holding Hermione to his chest, soothingly rubbing her back. It was how Inoichi’s wife found them in the kitchen. Hermione felt Inoichi turn to greet his wife, speaking softly to her, explaining what was going on. She actually understood most of what was being said, which made her let out a choked laugh.  
  
“Hermione-san?” He asked as he let her go.  
  
“Sorry, I actually understood that, I-” She shook her head, “I actually got that.”  
  
Inoichi smiled at her proudly as she met his gaze. She looked behind her to the woman behind her, who was also smiling at her. While she knew that Inoichi’s wife didn’t speak English, she also knew she was able to read her husband’s body language. From that alone, she seemed to understand what made Inoichi so proud.   
  
“I should, um, I’m going to go check on Teddy.”   
  
She excused herself from the kitchen. Inoichi nodded in agreement, before speaking with his wife, taking Ino from her arms and cooing softly. She made sure to give them their space as well, after all it was their home. She didn’t want them to stop their rituals just because she was there.  
  
“Mamai!”   
  
“Hey sweetie,” she cooed. She was about to pick him up, when a few rapid knocks were heard, coming from the front door.  
  
Inoichi walked out and went to get the door, when a male voice came from the hallway. Strangely enough, the voice sounded quite familiar.   
  
“Hermione-san!” Inoichi called from the hallway. She hesitantly made her way there, not sure what to expect.  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“Someone’s here to see you.”  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Kakashi groaned. Why did he agree to go to the party again? Oh, right. “It was low-key.” Gai had said. “Only a few people would be there.” And the best one, “He wouldn’t have to pay for any of his drinks.” Well, that _was_ actually a plus and the only reason that made him go. He knows he probably should keep an eye on how much he drinks, it would definitely not be a good idea to go all out.  
  
He opened the door of his closet, looking at the clothes that he owned. Which basically were only uniforms. Ah well, he thought, he’ll just go with his black shirt and pants, like what he wore when off duty. He hid a few kunai on him, but decided to leave his weapon’s pouch at home. It was a party after all. _His_ party to be precise.  
  
Glancing at the clock, he saw it was nine o'clock, which meant he was already an hour late. Well, better late than never. Which also meant he had less time to spend there, which was just fine with him. He bent down to put on his sandals, making sure his keys were in his pocket. He wouldn’t need his wallet tonight, so didn’t bother taking it with him.  
  
Making his way to _Yamanai kizu_ , he steeled himself before actually going inside, glancing inside. Gai had lied. Of course he had, he thought with a sigh. From the outside he could see his previous classmates there. And other than that, the entire bar was loaded with people. Why did he agree to do this again? Shaking his head, he grabbed the door handle and pushed the door open, walking inside.  
  
“KAKASHI! You’re here! Finally!” Gai shouted from the other side of the bar, alerting every single person of his arrival. A string of “Happy Birthdays” were thrown his way by most of the patrons, none as enthusiastic as Gai’s was, which he didn’t mind at all.  
  
Slowly making his way towards his friend, he nodded at everyone he passed, all of them raising their glasses at him in greeting. “Gai,” he said, giving him a nod as well, as a beer was given to him. “Not a whole lot of people, hm?” He asked him.  
  
“Ah, yes, Rival, I apologise. It seems I may have invited a bit more than I had intended.”   
  
“A _bit?_ ” He asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
“Come on, Rival. Be happy that I listened to you, at least. I still don’t understand why I couldn’t invite her. I think she’ll be good for you, Kakashi. She helps to bring you out of your long Autumn of Discontent,” he said, looking at him with a serious look on his face.  
  
Kakashi definitely shouldn’t have taken a sip at that moment, choking on it as soon as Gai said that, “what the hell? Autumn of what? You’ve got to be joking. There is no ‘Autumn of Discontent’ Gai. I’m absolutely fine.” He couldn’t believe Gai had actually said that.  
  
“What was that, Boss? Who’s this ‘she’ he’s talking about?” Suddenly there’s an arm around his shoulder, with a slightly tipsy Shisui hanging on him, if the smell of his breath is anything to go by.  
  
“No one,” Kakashi is quick to say.  
  
“His lady friend!” Gai says instead.   
  
“Damn it, Gai. Stop that. She’s not my lady friend.”  
  
“Rival! How can you say that! She gave you a-” Kakashi’s hand flew to Gai’s mouth, muffling any other sound that came out of it.  
  
“What? Hey! She gave you a, what?” Shisui was looking between both Gai and Kakashi suspiciously.  
  
“Nothing,” Kakashi said. “Ignore Gai, you know how he gets when he’s been drinking. Even more nonsense is coming out of him than usual.”  
  
The Uchiha looked at him, clearly not believing Kakashi either, “I don’t know about that, Boss. This didn’t seem like something-”  
  
“How about you go get a new drink? Yugao’s looking kind of thirsty.” He said, nodding at the purple-haired woman sitting a few booths to the left. “I mean it, Shisui.” Kakashi added, as the Uchiha hadn’t moved.  
  
“Right, okay. But don’t think I’ll forget!” He cheerfully said with a wave as he walked to the bar to get a refill.  
  
“Damn it, Gai. You have to stop doing that.” He hissed, looking his friend straight in the eye. “There is nothing going on between me and her, and she’s definitely _not_ my lady friend.”   
  
Gai tried to say something, his voice still muffled by Kakashi’s hand.   
  
“What?”  
  
Gai rolled his eyes at him and pointed behind him, towards the door. With a frown he turned around, his gaze going over all the people between him and the door, until they paused at the door. Suddenly, Kakashi’s mind was blank. What the- How- Why was she here? His unspoken questions were soon answered, as he saw her look behind her with a soft smile. His eye followed her gaze and his jaw clenched when he saw who it was that stood behind her.  
  
Genma. That motherfu- He could’ve known. Fuck, he _should’ve_ known. It had been incredibly clear that Genma was interested in her, when he thought about it. And he couldn’t believe she had said “yes” on going out with him, to _his_ birthday party. Damn it. He took a large swig from his beer, removing his hand from Gai’s mouth, wiping it on his pants.   
  
“I’m going to get another drink,” he said, as he walked away from Gai and made his way towards the bar. He needed something stronger if he was going to have to deal with this.  
  
“Wait! Rival,” Gai called after him, grabbing his arm. “I thought-”  
  
“You thought wrong, Gai.” Kakashi shrugged Gai’s grip off of him and continued to make his way to the bar.   
  
He held up a finger, ordering a stronger drink. A moment later, a whisky was put in front of him. He sighed as he picked up the glass and swirled it. Genma appeared next to him, right when he wanted to take a sip, “how’s it going, Boss? Happy Birthday, man!”  
  
“Thanks,” he sat with a flat voice, almost draining the glass in a single gulp. “Why’d you bring Hermione here, Genma?”  
  
“Oh? Well, I figured she could probably use a night to let loose a little, y’know? She’s been cooped up inside a house most of the time.” Genma shrugged. “Anyways, you shouldn’t worry too much about it, eh? It’s not like she’s your responsibility anymore.” He held up his beer towards Kakashi before taking a swig and walking off, to join their friends.  
  
Kakashi chanced a glance over his shoulder, finding Hermione easily in the crowd. She looked extremely uncomfortable, most likely because she didn’t know anyone other than himself and Genma. She had her hair up in a braid which was hanging over her shoulder. It suited her, he found. It seemed the Yamanakas had helped her get some new clothes as well, since he knew she hadn’t had much with her when she stayed at his place. She’d always worn the same two outfits before.  
  
She caught his gaze, right before he turned back towards the bar, recognition visible on her face. Didn’t she know it was his party? It would seem not, if the surprise was anything to go by. From the corner of his eye, he could see her making her way to him. He was half tempted to walk away, but he didn’t want to give up his spot at the bar.  
  
 _“Hi,”_ she said, as she reached him.  
  
 _“Hermione-san.”_  
  
 _“Quite a party you’ve got going on here, huh?”_ _  
_ _  
_Kakashi hummed at that. He still thought there were too many people for his liking. _“Yeah, Gai knows how to throw a party, apparently."  
  
_ _"Gai? Oh! The friend from your house the other day?”_ _  
_ _  
_Kakashi hummed again. What were they doing? He wasn’t feeling comfortable with this at all, especially since he knew she came here with Genma. Shouldn’t she be talking with him, instead?  
  
 _“Just because I came with him, doesn’t mean I’m only going to hang out with him, Kakashi-san.”_ _  
_ _  
_He had said that out loud, huh?  
 _  
_ _“Yes,”_ she said with a small giggle, _“you did.”_ _  
_ _  
_Damn it. He really needed to stop doing that. _“Genma isn’t going to like it if you spend your time with me, though. He likes attention.”_ _  
_ _  
_Hermione snorted at that, making Kakashi raise an eyebrow at that response. _“Genma-san can like attention all he wants, but he’ll have to find it elsewhere. Besides, I already told him that I wasn’t looking for a relationship or anything that has to do with that at the moment. So, I’m sure it’s fine.”_ _  
_ _  
_She was blunt, wasn’t she? Why was he relieved though? Just because she had told Genma that she didn’t want a relationship? Was he really _that_ petty?   
  
_“I actually wanted to ask you something, Kakashi-san. I understand though, if this isn’t the right time and-”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“What did you want to ask?”_ He interrupted. He found he needed to do that with her, she had a habit of babbling on and on unless she was stopped.  
  
 _“Oh, well, I- I wanted to ask if you had felt it too.”_ _  
_ _  
_Surprisingly, he didn’t need to ask her what she was talking about. Because he knew, right away. And he had felt it. He wasn’t sure _what_ he had felt, just that it seemed off. So he nodded slowly, wondering where she was going with this. She knew more about this than him, after all.  
  
 _“The bond. It’s getting stronger, it feels like.”_ She continued at his nod. _“It’s almost like it’s fighting us because we’re fighting it.”_  
  
Kakashi turned to look at her directly, maintaining eye contact with her for a few moments. _“So, what are we supposed to do about that?”_  
  
Hermione shrugged in response, _“I don’t really know yet. I just think- Maybe we should try to get along more.”_ She said, looking away. _“I know we haven’t been doing any of that, really. And I don’t think either of us is to blame for that. But this time apart, I mean, I could tell you weren’t in the village and I could tell you were upset during that time too.”_ _  
_ _  
_He didn’t really know what to say to that. Hermione was right on most counts. Completely wrong about it not being their fault. Kakashi knew he was definitely at fault there, he should’ve known better. It bothered him that she knew he wasn’t in the village though and that she knew he was upset, that she could seemingly feel that? Well, him being upset, he understood. It was very clear they could feel the extreme emotional outbursts.  
  
Kakashi hadn’t felt the subtle changes in her emotions or feelings, and he assumed she hadn’t either. He had no doubt, however, that that would be something they eventually would feel, if they were to become closer. He had a lot of time to think about it when on his mission and he had found that in the short period of time, everything he had started feeling from her became more and more clear to him.  
  
 _“So, what do you suggest we do?”_ He said when it was clear she wasn’t going to say anything else to him. He took another sip of his drink, finishing it.  
  
 _“I suggest we talk, really talk, about what’s happening to us and what we’re going to do about it.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“When?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Oh- I don’t know. Whenever the both of us have time, I suppose.”_ _  
_ _  
_Kakashi stared at his empty glass, moving it around in his hand. Well, he thought, they were already talking about it. Might as well do it now, when he was still somewhat sober. _“Now?”_ He asked softly. He knew she would only barely hear him say it. It was up to her to acknowledge his suggestion or to pretend she hadn’t heard it.  
  
 _“Sure. Where?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“I know a place. Hold on.”_ With some quick hand movements, they disappeared. __  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it for this chapter :D
> 
> Same as always: Let me know what you think! <3
> 
> Until next time!
> 
> Xx


	27. Let's talk about it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> Now, don't you worry. You're not dreaming! It is an actual update! And so soon! :D  
> This chapter for some reason was super easy to write, and I can never really help myself once I'm done. So here you go! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy reading this one as much as I enjoyed writing it :')
> 
> Do keep in mind, though, that I can't promise that the next one will be as fast, so it'll probably a good week before the next one is ready.
> 
> ENJOY~!

**Chapter 27: Let’s talk about it** **  
** **  
** **  
**Hermione thought to herself that it would still take a lot of time before she would ever get used to the way shinobi transported themselves to another place. In a blink of an eye, the rowdy bar got exchanged for one of the most spectacular views she had ever seen. She couldn’t stop the gasp from coming out as she steadied herself. Grasping the arm that had moved around her waist, she dared to take a small step closer to the edge, eyes big in wonder as she peered over the village. She couldn’t believe how far up they were, it gave her the best view of the village no doubt. It was beautiful.  
  
“Enjoying yourself?” Kakashi said from behind her, humour lacing his voice.   
  
She hadn’t forgotten his presence. How could she, with his arm still around her. Hermione had even felt his arm still her as she went closer to the edge, all too aware of him being there.  
  
“It’s- I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like this.” She confessed. “It’s beautiful.”  
  
She felt him move, still holding on to her and had to suppress a shiver as he hummed close to her ear. He wasn’t touching her, other than his arm, but even that feeling was something else. Hermione knew it was the bond that was doing this, reminding her why they had left the bar. They should probably start talking about that. She was hesitant to say something about it, she didn’t want to break this vibe that was currently surrounding them.  
  
A bird of prey was heard overhead, successfully shifting the mood. She felt Kakashi pull her back a bit, away from the edge, before letting go completely, stepping away from her. Hermione turned to look at him, but his gaze was trained on the village beneath them. This was harder than she thought it was. In a way it was also incredibly frustrating. She wanted to be angry at him, _knew_ she was afraid of him, but at the same time she couldn’t help but feel drawn to him.   
  
She watched as he glanced at her from the corner of his eye, before him nodding to something that looked like a bench carved out of some rocks to the side, “we can go sit there, if you want.”  
  
Hermione nodded in agreement, following him as he walked ahead of her. He sat down to the far right, giving her plenty of space to sit down as well. She suddenly felt incredibly nervous. She hadn’t thought this through, had she? Merlin, honestly, what was she thinking? She just left a busy bar to be alone with the one man she had been terrified of. Who she still was terrified of. Shit. You’re such an idiot, Hermione.  
  
“You’re having second thoughts.” Kakashi said in a deceptively calm voice. It still irked her how he could sound so calm, yet felt anything but calm. “You’re panicking,” he added. “Why?”  
  
“I-” she didn’t know where to start. She was panicking, yes. But it somehow did and didn’t make sense. She was so, so confused. All these feelings confused her so much. She dropped her head in her hands. “I don’t know. I- I just-”  
  
“Hey,” suddenly he was in front of her, making her look up. He grabbed her wrist and straight away she felt a calmness come over her. Why was he always so fast? And how was he able to be so calm and thus calm her down so quickly? Not for the first time she wondered what he must have gone through to be able to control his own emotions like this. “I know I don’t have the best track record when it comes to you, but I’m not going to hurt you. We’re just going to talk, right?”  
  
The words he said barely registered, still stuck on him controlling his emotions like that. It shouldn’t be that easy for someone to do that. “What happened to you?”  
  
“What?” Confusion was evident on the small part of his face that was visible.  
  
“You’re able to control your emotions like it’s nothing.. That’s not something that you just know how to do, Kakashi-san. That’s something you learn because you have no choice. What happened to you?”  
  
Suddenly, she felt extremely cold. In a blink of an eye, any and all feelings coming from Kakashi had disappeared. This all happened so sudden it left her gasping for air, as if something was ripped out of her. He let go of her, standing back up, turning away and taking a few steps away from her as well.  
  
“It doesn’t matter.” He said, showing no emotion anymore. “That’s not what we came here to talk about.”   
  
“Kakashi!” She cried out, reaching out as if trying to get a grasp on their connection which suddenly had seemingly severed. Another hand grasped her own shirt, trying to deal with the loss. “You can’t-”  
  
“ _Fuck-_ I’m sorry.” As sudden as the loss of feeling him was, it was just as sudden when he let his control slip, feeling like she was punched in the chest by the intensity of his emotions as they came back at full force. Hermione grabbed his arm as if to steady herself, as she took a few deep breaths. “I’m not used to this.” He said, as if that excused his actions.  
  
“And you think I am?” She retorted, looking at him. She felt the tears in her eyes. That had really, really hurt her. It was almost like whatever linked them together had severed, but also hadn’t. Hermione didn’t even know how to explain it. “I have no more experience with this than you do. It’s not like I go around randomly getting myself bonded with people, just for the hell of it.” She snapped.  
  
Kakashi stayed silent and still after that. Like he didn’t dare to move, in any way. Well, this was off to a bad start again, wasn’t it. How was it they always managed to do this? It was like they were unable to have a proper conversation. How were they supposed to be able to work all of this out, when they couldn’t even have a normal talk?  
  
“I’m sorry,” she said. She really shouldn’t have snapped at him like that, even though he did deserve it in her opinion.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
What the hell was he thinking? The moment he forcefully reeled back his emotions, locking them away, away from the bond, he probably felt the same thing she did, only reacting to it differently. He had to bite back a cry at the immeasurable pain it caused. What the hell was this bond?! It took him a moment to get his act together. Took longer than he’d like to admit to release the tight grip he had on his control.   
  
_“No,”_ he said. _“I am”._ And he was. He shouldn’t have done that, but… But now, at least he knew that this ran deeper than he could’ve ever imagined. He turned back towards her, watching her as she kept taking deep breaths to lessen the pain.  
  
 _“I’m- I’m no good at this,”_ he confessed softly. And he wasn’t. Kakashi and any form of a relationship with anyone just didn’t mix. He didn’t even have friends, not really. Sure, he had Gai. But Gai was an exception to the rule. That guy was just too stubborn to listen to him.  
  
Kakashi had learned very early on in life that in the end the only one he could rely on would be himself. He had been by himself for the past thirteen to fourteen years. And sure, while he did have Minato-sensei and his team for a little while.. It didn’t last. They were all dead now. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why he couldn’t accept this bond for what it was. He knew, for a fact, that it wouldn’t last. Everyone who got close to him, got hurt or died. It was a fact. He was cursed. He knew it, there was no other explanation.  
  
 _“You’re not.”_ _  
_ _  
_Kakashi looked up in confusion. Had he missed her speaking before? He wasn’t what?  
  
 _“You’re not cursed.”_ She clarified. He groaned mentally, had he really said that out loud? He needed to stop doing that.   
  
_“Yes, I am.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“No, you-”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Please, don’t.”_ He said. This would only lead to them arguing, which is exactly what they weren’t supposed to be doing. _“You said we should talk about the bond. So let’s talk about that.”_ He said, changing the subject. He heard Hermione sigh, deciding now was probably a good time to get back up, slowly removing her hand from his arm. Kakashi stepped to the side, sitting down in the same spot he had sat before.  
  
 _“You’re right, Kakashi-san. We should talk about that. Just- You do know that at some point we will have to talk about that as well, right?”_ _  
_  
“Not if I can help it,” he murmured. “Not as long as I still have a choice in the matter. Not as long as I still have a bit of free will.” This was not something he felt like discussing. Ever. The only reason he agreed to talk to her was because he wanted to know more about it, but that didn’t mean he was going to share his life story with her. This was still something he didn’t ask for. Something he didn’t want.  
  
 _“Do you think you’re the only one who who dislikes the fact that their free will is taken from them?”_ _  
_ _  
_Kakashi looked at her, surprised. Had she just- “You can understand what I’m saying?” He would have to watch what was being said around her, knowing this.  
  
Hermione nodded, “a little,” she said with a heavy accent. _“The verbal part is still a bit of an issue though, but I’ve been learning. I can understand quite a bit, I just don’t really speak the language yet.”_ She said, shrugging. _“Anyways, we’re in the same boat, you and I. I don’t like this any more than you do. It’s something we will have to work on, we’ll have to figure out a way to deal with this. But do not,_ ever _, think you’re the only one dealing with this. This wasn’t my choice either.”_ She ended harshly, looking at him as if he insulted her. And he had, in a way, hadn’t he?  
  
 _“Anyways,”_ She said with a much lighter tone. _“I think it would be a good idea to not do that again, Kakashi-san. I wasn’t lying when I said the bond is fighting us.”_ _  
_ _  
_Kakashi snorted. _“Yeah, I noticed.”_ He looked down at his hands, rubbing them together. He didn’t think something like that would be possible. How something like that could _fight_ like that, like it was… _Alive._  
  
 _“I think,”_ she said. _“I think normally when a bond like this occurs, it’s with people that already know each other. At least that’s what I’ve read about it.”_ From the corner of his eye, he saw her turning to him. _“Obviously we didn’t know each other before any of this. So I tried to find out what would cause it then.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“What would cause it? Didn’t you say it was random, before?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Yes, I did. And it still is. Random, I mean. Just because people know each other beforehand, doesn’t mean the bond doesn’t happen at random.”_ _  
_ _  
_She had a point, of course she did. But what did that mean then? If they didn’t know each other beforehand, and that was supposed to be a requirement for forming a bond like this, what was it between them for this to happen? _“Did you?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Hm?”_  
  
 _“You said you tried to find out what would be the cause of our bond. Did you?”_ _  
_  
  
  
-  
  
  
 _  
_“Yes, I did, or I think I did. It’s not something that makes sense, just yet. Hopefully it will once we get to know each other a bit more. But anyways, it has something to do with our birthdays and-” She started explaining, but was interrupted by Kakashi suddenly standing up. She felt a spike of anger coming from him, which was directed at whoever it was that was coming their way, it would seem. She followed his gaze to see Genma run towards them. Oh, right. She had forgotten about what she had promised him. Oops.  
  
Flashback a few hours ago  
  
 _“Hermione-san!” Inoichi called from the hallway. She hesitantly made her way there, not sure what to expect._ _  
_ _  
_ _“Yes?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Someone’s here to see you.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _Inoichi looked at her for a moment, before stepping to the side, revealing whoever it was that had called for her. It was a man, maybe a little older than she was. He had brown hair, reaching his jaw. A blue bandana was tied around his head, at the front, which looked a bit weird if she was honest, and lastly he had some sort of pin in his mouth, like an oversized toothpick._ _  
_ _  
_“Can I help you?” _Hermione said in their language, not sure what he would want from her. He looked vaguely familiar, but couldn’t place him._ _  
_ _  
_ _“Ah, yes,”_ _he responded in English, with a wink. She was glad he spoke English, that made it a bit easier for her. “I’m not sure if you remember me. We met when- uh, in the forest?” He finished awkwardly. Of course, she remembered him now. He was the one who had carried her out of the building when she was too frightened of Kakashi._ _  
_ _  
_ _“Right.” She said. “It doesn’t explain what you are doing here, um-”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Genma,” he said. “Shiranui Genma. And, I was wondering- Well, there’s this bar closeby where some friends and I were going tonight and I figured maybe you wanted to join me. Get out of the house for a while, y’know?”_ _  
_  
 _She.. hadn’t expected that. “Oh, um, well-” she didn’t know what to say. She hadn’t been asked out like this, ever. Hermione looked behind her, to Inoichi._ _  
_ _  
_ _“It’s up to you, Hermione-san.” He said. But he didn’t look too worried, not like he had done with Kakashi, so she figured it was alright._ _  
_ _  
_ _“Right, um, sure. Sure, Genma-san, I guess I could use a night out.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Awesome!” He said, flashing a smile. “I’ll pick you up around nine, is that okay?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Sure, I’ll see you then.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _The time went by faster than she had expected and before she knew it, a knock was heard on the door. She had spent the remainder of the afternoon with Inoichi’s wife. Hermione had been quite surprised when she had offered to take Hermione shopping, knowing she barely had any clothes. At first she refused, saying that they had already done so much for her, but the woman wouldn’t listen._ _  
_ _  
_ _Hermione went to the door, pulling her vest over her shoulder, before opening the door. “Hi,” she said._ _  
_ _  
_ _“Hey, wow, you look great! Uh, ready to go?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Yep, all ready.” She said stepping outside and closing the door behind her, putting a strand of hair that had gotten loose behind her ear. “Which way?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _Genma pointed to his left, “this way. It’s a short walk, I hope you don’t mind.” Hermione shook her head and followed him as he led the way._ _  
_ _  
_ _They talked a bit along the way, nothing too trivial though. A few minutes later, she saw the bar. Hermione felt her arm getting grabbed, turning towards Genma in question._ _  
_ _  
_ _“Hey, listen. Before we go in there. Um, I probably should’ve told you. There’s a party going on in there. Y’know, for Kakashi’s birthday. He probably won’t show though, he doesn’t do parties like that, so you shouldn’t have to worry about that.” Which she didn’t. Worst case scenario, she’d just go back home. The bar was full of people though, she wasn’t sure how she felt about that. “Just- Well, can you promise me you won’t leave with him? Like, talking to him in the bar is fine, but, you can’t leave with him. I need you to promise that.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Why?” Hermione frowned at him. It was an odd request of someone who she thought was at least familiar with Kakashi. Why else show up at his birthday party, whether he showed up or not?_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Just, promise me, okay?” Genma looked very serious, silently begging her to comply.  
  
_ _“Uh, okay, I guess?” Hermione wasn’t sure about it though. It really didn’t make any sense. While she didn’t mind Genma’s company up until this point, she wasn’t sure who she felt more comfortable with._ _  
_ _  
_ _“Okay, good. Good. Well, let’s go in, Hermione-san!”_ _  
_ _  
_End flashback _  
_ _  
_He looked upset, really upset as he stopped in front of them. She heard Genma say something, but couldn’t understand it, he was talking too fast, using words she hadn’t learned. Looking behind her, Hermione saw Kakashi stand rigid, an angry look on his face.  
  
“Guys, please.” She tried, but they completely ignored her, continuing their standoff.  
  
Until Genma turned to her and said, “Hermione-san, we’re leaving.”  
  
“No, she’s not.” Kakashi said instead.   
  
“Excuse me?! I can make my own decisions, Kakashi-san.” She said over her shoulder and then turned to Genma, who had a small smirk on his face. “And I’m not leaving. We were just talking, Genma-san. I’m absolutely fine.”  
  
“I told you not to leave with him, Hermione-san. You promised”  
  
“ _What_?!” Kakashi hissed. _“What the fuck, Genma?”_  
  
 _“You know the reason, Kakashi. You’re not supposed to-”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“It was never an order, Genma. Do you think she would’ve been allowed to the bar with you if it was?”_  
  
“Would either one of you _please_ tell me what’s going on?” Hermione yelled. “Stop talking over me. I’m right here.”  
  
Kakashi sighed, “after I attacked you, they wanted to keep us separated, for obvious reasons. In order for me to actually stay away from you, giving us both time to figure things out, I was sent on a mission.” He explained. “But I was _never_ ordered to stay away, Genma. It was never an order. So stop treating it like it was.”  
  
“But-”  
  
“Stop.” Hermione said, holding up her hand. She felt extremely annoyed by this whole thing. She understood what Kakashi had said, explaining the Hokage’s decision to let her stay at the Yamanakas, but no one asked her. Why couldn’t they just ask her? Didn’t she have any say in this? Well, she knew she didn’t have much of a say it in, but it was all decided _for_ her, not even letting her know. They just dumped everything on her. Well, no more. They’d given her this much freedom up until now, so she was going to use it.   
  
“Genma-san. I really appreciate you looking out for me. I understand your reasoning in this.” She started. As she said that, she felt Kakashi’s emotion whirl out. She looked at him and shook her head, getting a confused look in return. He really didn’t need to feel like that now, because, “however, we _were_ just talking and it’s a conversation I feel is important and I would like to continue. I hope you understand, Genma-san.”  
  
Oh my god, really? She threw another look at Kakashi, raising her eyebrow. Hermione had to refrain from rolling her eyes at the pleased feeling she was getting from him. Men. Ugh, they’re all the same. She looked back to see Genma relaxing his stance.   
  
“You’re absolutely certain, Hermione-san?”  
  
“Yes. It’s fine. Kakashi-san will take me home in a bit.”  
  
“Right, okay. I’ll get back to the party then.” He said, turning to walk away. “Oh, by the way, Kakashi? The entire team saw you leaving with her. As did plenty of others in the bar.”  
  
“So?” Kakashi asked.  
  
“So,” Genma said, stretching the word, “everyone thinks you’ve got yourself a lady friend,” he said with a big smirk. “Sorry about that Hermione-san. Best of luck with that.” The man sounded like he was having too much fun with this. A second later, they were alone again.  
  
Kakashi groaned as he sat back down, Hermione following his example. “Well, that was interesting.”  
  
“That’s an understatement. Why was he being so hard on you, Kakashi-san? Why were any of them so hard on you?”  
  
“You’re joking right?” He said. “I attacked you, Hermione-san. I could’ve killed you. It only makes sense that they’re being hard on me. They still went easy on me.”  
  
“What?” She looked at him incredulously, “ _you’re_ joking.”  
  
“No, I’m really not.”  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Kakashi sighed as he looked at his feet. He still thought that the Hokage let him off easily, even if he was threatened with going to prison. That still wouldn’t have been a hard enough punishment.   
  
_“It wasn’t your fault, though. I shouldn’t have touched you when I did. I should’ve known better.”_ _  
_ _  
_Kakashi hummed in response, knowing they would have to agree to disagree. They would never think the other was at fault. They both thought they were the one to blame and, fuck, wasn’t this all fucked up?  
  
“ _I probably should get back home, though. Maybe we can catch up again, later this week? Have another talk?”_ She offered.   
  
_“Yeah, we can do that.”_ It actually went alright this time around, not counting the mishap with the control on his emotions. All in all, he wouldn’t mind doing this again. Maybe if they practised a bit more, they’d be able to have a conversation _without_ any issues or interruptions.  
  
 _“Take me home?”_ _  
_ _  
_Kakashi huffed, with a smile. What was this, a date? Which reminded him… Fuck. A lot of people had seen them leaving and Gai- _Shit_. He needed to go do some damage control after he took her home.  
  
 _“Sure, let’s go.”_ He said with a sigh.  
  
He got up and held out his hand, silently asking her to take it. She smiled at him when she did. She gave him a nod, signalling she was ready as she turned to look at the village one more time. A moment later, they appeared in front of the Yamanaka house. He let go of her, stepping to the side, just in case Inoichi would come outside at his arrival.  
  
 _“Thanks for the talk, Kakashi-san.”_ Hermione told him with a smile. _“Oh! Before I forget, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Ask me what?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Do you know who Teddy changed into? The face seemed a little familiar, but I can’t place it.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“His face?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Yeah, when you brought him back to me.”  
  
_ Oh shit. His face. _His._ Teddy had adopted _his_ face when he had found him. _"Oh, uh, I'm not sure I didn't really pay attention to it."_ Kakashi mentally whacked his own head. 'I didn't pay attention'? _That's_ what you come up with?   
  
_"But you carried him around, surely you've looked at his face and noticed it was different. I find it a bit hard to believe that you weren't paying attention to him."_ Hermione said, rightfully so. Why must she be observant? Of course he paid attention.   
  
_"I don't know, Hermione-san."_ He said, trying to brush her off, hoping she would just take his answer for what it was, no matter how stupid he sounded.  
  
Suddenly she was in his face, watching him closely. If anyone would ever say he flinched, he would deny it. _“Hm,”_ was the only thing she said.  
  
 _“What?”_ He asked, getting annoyed with the whole situation.  
  
 _“I don’t know,”_ she said, sounding too cheerful for it to be believable, as she moved back. _“Enjoy the rest of your evening, Kakashi-san.”_ He just looked at her as she moved towards the door, opening it. _“Oh, it’s a cute beauty mark, by the way.”_ Was the last thing she said, pointing at her chin as she slipped inside, giving him a wink before closing the door.  
  
She knew. _Fuck._  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you guys think! :D
> 
> Comments make my day :')


	28. A Shocking Revelation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> It's your impatient author again! :'D
> 
> I've got chapter 28 all ready for you. Once again, this hasn't been beta read, so please excuse any mistakes you may find.
> 
> A big thanks to lostindetails for helping me out with some brilliant ideas! :'D
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 28: A Shocking Revelation**  
  
  
Hermione closed the door, her smile still on her lips. She wondered what it would actually look like, seeing him without the mask. Seeing it on Teddy’s face was not at all the same as it would be seeing it for herself. Teddy still had the face of an infant and he wasn’t able yet to change it into someone older. She could definitely imagine though. In all honesty, she wasn’t blind. He was, obviously, very athletic and that combines with a face like that? The thought alone got her knees weak. Oh shit, she wasn’t developing a crush on him, was she?   
  
“You’re back soon. Did something happen?” Inoichi said as she walked into the living room. “Did something good happen?” He said with a knowing smile as he looked at her.  
  
“Oh, I- yeah, sort of,” she said with a small smile. “I ran into Kakashi-san.”   
  
Inoichi hummed at that, “I figured as much, since I felt him appear just now.”  
  
“Yes, we- I ran into him at the bar and we kind of got talking and decided to go somewhere else, to speak in private.” She looked away as she saw Inoichi raise his eyebrows at that, a smirk forming on his lips. “It wasn’t like that.” She rushed to explain, putting her hands up in defense. “We just talked. And we had a good conversation. It’s- I think we’re getting better at it.”  
  
“What about Genma-san?” She knew that was coming, she thought as a small blush appeared on her cheeks. She _had_ left with Genma and arrived back home with Kakashi after all. Man, what must he be thinking of her? That wasn’t a good impression at all, was it?  
  
“He wasn’t too happy about that.” She confessed. “Which I understand. But it’s not like he would get it. I mean, not really. He doesn’t know about the bond, so how could he? I can only imagine how confusing this must be for him, though.”  
  
“Hm, yeah, I reckon it would be. I’m sure he’ll be fine though. Speaking of the bond... Wouldn’t it help if someone assisted you with the research? I know this information comes mostly from your, well, world. But I definitely think it could help you along.” He suggested.  
  
Hermione looked at him in surprise. He had a point, it _would_ help if someone would be able to assist her with the research. Honestly, she never thought to ask. In all these years, she was the one that did the research, she was the girl with the books. Always has been. The times she had asked either Harry or Ron to help her, it was a disaster. But then, who would be able to help her?   
  
She knew there weren’t a lot of people that spoke the language here. From what she understood, only the higher level shinobi spoke English, and even then not all of them spoke it. Also, it would have to be someone who already knew about the bond. The list was incredibly small. Hermione knew the Hokage wouldn’t be able to help, obviously. He wouldn’t have the time. Inoichi wouldn’t be able to do so either, already taking time off of his normal duties. Kakashi? That’s a disaster waiting to happen. Also, she remembered he wasn’t fluent in reading English, which would definitely be needed. So, then.. Who?  
  
“I’d love to get some help... but, who would be able to help, Inoichi-san? The ones who know about the bond won’t be able to.” She shook her head. This would never work. There wasn’t anybody who would be able to help.  
  
“I have a friend-”  
  
“A friend? Inoichi-san, with all due respect, I can’t just-  
  
“Hermione-san, please let me finish.” Inoichi responded with a stern voice. Hermione softly apologised, looking at her lap. “He’s a good friend. I trust him with my life and I know for a fact that he _is_ able to help.”   
  
“I- Okay. I mean, you probably- I trust your opinion, Inoichi-san.”   
  
Inoichi stood up and walked up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder before kneeling down in front of her. “How about this. I’ll arrange a meeting with him, he owes me a favor anyway. The guy’s pretty smart too, so he would be _more_ than happy to answer any questions you have.” He said with a sly grin.   
  
Catching on to Inoichi’s mood, she replied with a cheeky grin, “I’ll be sure to bring my notebook, then.”  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Kakashi appeared in front of the bar. Once again he found himself looking inside, watching his friends. After he had dropped Hermione off, he had a small debate with himself on whether or not to return to the bar. He wouldn’t mind a drink, to deal with Hermione’s newest way to- No, do not go there. But really, he didn’t feel like walking into a bar full of patrons who were no doubt gossiping about him.  
  
Through the window, he saw Genma look up, meeting his gaze. Man, he looked pissed. He probably should talk to him about what happened. This would no doubt fuck up their team dynamics if they didn’t talk it out. He signalled the senbon-user to follow him, walking away, expecting Genma to follow. He’d better follow, Kakashi thought. At the end of the day, he was still his captain.   
  
He made his way to a more secluded part of Konoha, close to his home. Kakashi got more annoyed with every second that passed that he didn’t feel Genma following him. Oh, he better come or there would be hell to pay. He ended up at the far side of the training grounds. The whole way there, he felt his anger rise more and more. Was he really defying his order by _not_ showing up?   
  
Kakashi stopped in the middle of the grounds, looking up at the sky, letting out a sigh. This was one of his preferred training grounds. It was secluded, and there was no light pollution. It didn’t mean there was no light at all at this time of night. The stars did their job well enough. It wasn’t bright, but visible enough for him to see everything.  
  
By the time Genma did decide to show up, Kakashi had been waiting for at least fifteen minutes. He knew the moment Genma had arrived at the edge of the grounds. He took his sweet time walking through all the other fields before arriving at the one Kakashi was waiting. Genma lingered a moment at the edge, before slowly making his way to him.  
  
It didn't take Kakashi long to realise that Genma hadn't come alone. He glanced past the senbon-user to see both Yugao and Shisui standing at the edge of the field, watching them. He broadened his senses to see if Tenzou was there as well, but he couldn't sense his kohai. Not that that meant anything. He was usually just lingering around without anyone knowing, having the Hashirama-cells was quite a perk in that case.  
  
Kakashi turned to Genma, deciding to ignore the other two for now. He looked at him but stayed silent, already annoyed at having to wait as long as he had. Genma now stood in front of him, moving his senbon between his teeth, Kakashi knew Genma wasn't one to get anxious, but no doubt he was wary of where this conversation would lead.   
  
"Boss?"   
  
Kakashi looked up to the sky once again, this time to think about how to address his thoughts. Genma had been incredibly protective of Hermione, to the point where Genma had even made her promise not to leave with him. He wasn’t sure what to think of it, only knew that it made him angry. Kakashi knew he was protective of her as well, but he also knew that had to do with their bond.   
  
Kakashi was aware that if whatever was going on between them stayed unresolved it could easily screw up their teamwork, if it hadn’t already. And while he hadn't made the best choices lately, he needed Genma to understand that didn't mean he was compromised. He was still perfectly able to handle the missions. He was still perfectly able to lead.  
  
Really what he wanted to know is if he would still be able to count on his team. In turn, he wanted them to know they could still count on him. That whatever was happening with him and Hermione was not something that would interfere with his work.  
  
“Why did you think it was a good idea to bring Hermione-san to _Yamanai kizu_ tonight?”  
  
“Really, Boss? _That’s_ what you want to talk about?”   
  
“Honestly, Genma. If you’re that concerned for her safety, to the point you make her promise not to leave with me, why the hell did you bring her?” He said, looking his subordinate straight in the eye.  
  
He watched as Genma folded his arms, clearly annoyed. That was fine with Kakashi, though. He was just as annoyed with him.  
  
“I wanted her to have a fun night out. Besides, I didn’t think you’d be there, since you never show up when there’s a party, not even your own.” Genma shrugged. “And by the way, how the hell did you manage to get her to leave with you?”  
  
Kakashi smirked at that. Was he jealous of Kakashi? It would seem so. “I asked her, she said yes. It wasn’t all that hard. And it wasn’t like you were paying any attention to her, it took you ages to arrive. Makes me wonder why you even bothered asking her out, obviously you don’t care that much. Was she just another challenge for you?”  
  
In a split second Genma had his hand curled around Kakashi’s vest, pulling Kakashi towards him. Kakashi had his own hand wrapped around Genma’s wrist straight away. “ _I_ don’t care? I was trying to protect her. From _you_. And fuck you for suggesting I asked her out as a challenge.”   
  
“I suggest you let go of me, Shiranui.” Kakashi’s voice was flat, void of any emotion when he spoke. “Now.”  
  
“Oh, you gonna order me around, while off duty? That’s a dick move, _captain._ Man, I have absolutely _no_ idea what she sees in you.” It was quite clear Genma had been having a good time at the party, even without Hermione. This close to him, he could smell the alcohol on his breath. Kakashi hadn’t had that much to drink, yet Genma clearly had.  
  
“It’d do you some good to listen for once.” Kakashi retorted angrily, deciding not to respond to his comment regarding Hermione. Truthfully, he didn’t think she thought of him like that. And if she did, he agreed with Genma. He had no idea what she could possibly see in him.  
  
Kakashi had barely finished his sentence, when Genma took a swing at him. Afterwards, Kakashi would claim that he let Genma take the hit, but in truth he hadn’t seen it coming. Not expecting the senbon-user to resort to this.   
  
While Kakashi barely had anything to drink, he had been on edge the entire day. So much had happened and maybe having this conversation hadn’t been the best idea. It would’ve been better to have this talk when both men were sober. As soon as he took the hit, however, his adrenaline kicked in, switching to fight mode automatically. His chakra came to life, softly thrumming under his skin.  
  
As he fell to the ground, he managed to kick his legs out, tackling Genma to the ground as well. The second his back hit the ground, he jumped up by using one of his hands to push him back up, diving towards Genma. He sensed Shisui rush towards them, Yugao following his lead. Before the pair reached them, he managed to get a hit in as well, punching Genma so hard he split his lip.   
  
He vaguely felt someone else appearing, not paying attention to whoever was stupid enough to try and intervene with this. It turned out, he should have paid attention. He definitely should have. Not a second later, right when he aimed his fist towards Genma’s jaw once again, he was blasted backwards. A faint call of a woman’s voice registered in his brain, making him wonder what had actually happened.  
  
He groaned as he landed on his back, several feet away from where he had been standing not a moment ago. His senses were still on alert, however, feeling Genma get up and trying to attack him. He got close, before another, now more clear, “ _Stupefy_ ” sent his subordinate flying as well. Hermione… She was here? Why? How?  
  
“What the?” Was heard as both Shisui and Yugao stopped near Kakashi and Genma. “Yamanaka-san?” Shisui sounded confused by the arrival of Inoichi, who had apparently been the one to have taken Hermione with him.   
  
Kakashi slowly sat up again, whatever she had blasted at him slowly wearing off. It took him a lot more effort to do so than he’d like to admit. Being on the other side of that wand of hers, suddenly made him appreciate her abilities a lot more. His gaze locked onto hers, and boy did she look pissed. It was then when he realised the anger he was feeling in that moment came from her.  
  
_“You bloody idiots!”_ She yelled at them as she stomped towards them. _“You’re acting like children! What the_ hell _were you thinking? I was worried sick!”_  
  
Worried? Why would she be- oh. _Oh._ Shit. Yeah, he was totally to blame for this. Realisation set in as he thought about what she must’ve felt coming from him. The atmosphere changed with every word she angrily yelled at them, it somehow became heavier, just like it did when he was charging his Raikiri.  
  
“Do you see that?” He heard Shisui ask Yugao in wonder, while pointing at Hermione. “Her hair--oof!” Yugao hit him in the ribs and hissed to stop pointing his finger.  
  
Kakashi shifted his gaze towards her hair, immediately noticing what had caught the Uchiha’s attention. Her hair was no longer braided and was very… static, almost as if it was dancing in the air. Kakashi could almost taste electricity as well, he even felt his chakra responding to it. He’d never had anything like that happen before.  
  
“ _Well?”_ She stood before both him and Genma with her hands on her hips and… he wasn’t sure what to say. He knew one wrong word could no doubt set her off again. Glancing to his right, he noticed Genma struggling with the same problem, not wanting to piss her off even more. And honestly, what was he supposed to say? None of his teammates, save Tenzou, knew about the bond. And Tenzou wasn’t even here, was he? Damn it. _  
__  
_ He noticed Genma open his mouth, no doubt ready to apologise, but he wasn’t the reason she was here, was she? Kakashi slowly stood up, taking a step towards her while still feeling the effects of whatever she had fired at him and said, _“what are you doing here?”_ Catching the attention of Hermione, but also Genma and Inoichi. He knew Shisui and Yugao wouldn’t understand what was being said, but they could read his body language, so they could guess he was annoyed. Planning on apologising next, he got distracted by her hair. Seeing it up close was even more interesting. _“Also, uh, your hair-”_ he tried to say, but was quickly interrupted by a very pissed off witch. _  
__  
_  
  
-  
  
  


  
Hermione was sitting on the couch chatting with Inoichi about her day when she felt it. There was a burst of anger and then something she couldn’t describe. She had never felt anything like it, but it was suffocating.  
  
“Are you okay?” Inoichi said, rushing towards her the moment she collapsed.  
  
“I can’t-” She tried to get the words out, but it was incredibly hard to do so. “-breathe.”  
  
“Hermione-san?”  
  
“S-something’s wrong. With Kakashi-san.” She looked up at Inoichi, who closed his eyes and put his right hand up, both his index and middle finger in front of him, while the other fingers were curled. It vaguely reminded her of old movies she had watched, remembering they did this when they needed to focus.   
  
It was only a few seconds later when he opened his eyes again. “I found him. He’s not far. Let’s go see if he’s alright.” He helped her stand up and did the same hand signs she’d seen Kakashi do whenever he took her somewhere else. In a blink of an eye, they were standing in a dimly lit field. Her eyebrows rose before frowning as she witnessed the event that happened in front of her. Were they serious?!  
  
She watched Kakashi ready himself to throw a punch at Genma who was on the ground. That bloody- “ _Everte Statum!”_ She yelled, firing the spell at Kakashi, sending him back several feet. A moment later she fired another spell, calling out _“Stupefy!”_ , this time at Genma.  
  
The other two shinobi, who she recognised from the forest, appeared next to the two stunned men. “ _What the-? Yamanaka-san?”_ She heard the black-haired teen say, looking at them confused. No matter. She had other things to deal with right now. She watched as Kakashi slowly got up, surprising her on how quickly the spell’s effects seemed to fade away. His eye locked on her, and she knew he could feel the anger radiating off of her.  
  
“You bloody idiots!” She yelled as she made her way towards them. “You’re acting like children! What the _hell_ were you thinking? I was worried sick!”  
  
And she had been. Whatever it was she’d been feeling coming from him had made her terrified, this time _for_ him. She didn’t know what had happened to cause him to feel like that, but she hated it. Hermione felt the moment Kakashi realised what had happened, guilt flooding her system. It only fueled her anger even more. Then something happened she hadn’t felt in a long time. It was like she was surrounded by pure magic, dancing on her skin.  
  
To the side, she could see the same teen who had spoken before pointing at her, before getting an elbow in his ribs by the purple-haired woman next to him, who hissed something at him. She stopped in front of both Kakashi and Genma, putting her hands on her hips. “Well?” she angrily demanded.  
  
“What are you doing here?” Kakashi asked as he got up. She turned to him in surprise, not expecting him to speak up first, but her surprise was quickly followed up by annoyance. What was she doing here? Was he for real? “Also, uh, your hair-”  
  
Absolutely not. He was _not_ changing the subject. “Don’t change the subject.” She said, voicing her thoughts. “You don’t get to do that. You had me worried sick! Why the hell do you think I’m here?” She responded, waving her arms around in frustration. “Did you seriously forget that I can feel the intensity of your emotions? We _just_ had this conversation!” She said, poking him in the chest with her finger.  
  
That question sparked confusion by Genma, the other two didn’t speak English she realised, looking as confused as ever at the situation. “Wait, what?” Genma called out, “what do you mean, you can feel his emo-”  
  
Hermione could barely hear him saying anything, too riled up to focus on anything other than Kakashi. She felt the energy around her become more noticeable as it started to tickle her skin. It didn’t matter though. She needed Kakashi to know and to understand that whatever had happened had affected her too. “I thought something bad might have happened to you! Instead Inoichi-san and I find you here with Genma-san, acting like bloody children in a schoolyard fight.” She was breathing hard after letting it all out.   
  
“Hermione-san,” Kakashi started, “you need to calm down. And stop poking me.” He said, clearly annoyed with her poking him. Good. Maybe then he’ll realise what a scare she’d had.  
  
“I will _not_ calm d-” Kakashi then grabbed her wrist, pulling her hand away from him. The moment their skin touched electricity crackled around them. It shocked her how the normal feeling she got when they touched, was so extreme. “Wha-”  
  
“Please calm down,” he said again, “I’m not sure how, but your magic is affecting my chakra. You _need_ to calm down.” As his words registered in her mind, she felt herself calm down slowly, no doubt thanks to him. Hermione wasn’t sure he knew what he was doing, but it worked, so she just went with it. Taking a few deep breaths, she calmed herself down enough, feeling the magic dissipate in the air.  
  
“I- Merlin.”  
  
“Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?” She heard Genma speak from behind Kakashi. “What is all this about being able to feel what Kakashi’s feeling and-”  
  
“ _If I may,”_ a new voice popped up, causing all shinobi to flinch, from what she could see. She whirled around as well, noticing another teen standing near one of the trees.  
  
“ _Damn it, Tenzou,”_ she heard Kakashi groan.  
  
_“When the hell did you get here?”_ Genma asked.  
  
_“I was here the whole time.”_ That sentence caused every single one of them to groan. Besides Inoichi, it would seem, who had stayed to the side, observing everything. Hermione was quite happy her time studying had paid off, as she could follow most of what was being said.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Kakashi will never, ever admit he flinched as Tenzou popped up behind them. Of course he was there, he should’ve known. He knew his kohai wasn’t one for parties, but no doubt he’d keep an eye out anyway. He appreciated Tenzou’s offer to try and explain everything, but couldn’t help but wonder why he hadn’t interfered before. Maybe he’d been watching Hermione instead? That would make the most sense, seeing as the rest of his team was here and they hadn’t entrusted anyone else with watching her.  
  
He didn’t believe Tenzou’s answer when he’d said he was there the whole time. While Kakashi knew that he was quite able to remain untraceable, he did always have a hunch that Tenzou was lurking around. This time, he hadn’t felt anything like that.  
  
“Right, so, if you’re gonna explain, mind explaining it all? Because Yu and I are completely lost.” He heard Shisui say from behind him.   
  
“Speak for yourself,” Yugao commented, but Kakashi knew Shisui had been right. Yugao just wasn’t someone to admit that. She hated not understanding something.   
  
“I will, unless- Do you want to explain instead, senpai?” Tenzou asked, looking at him.  
  
He really, really didn’t. He’d rather just forget about all of this and call it a day. But, with already so much out in the open, he knew that wasn’t an option. Instead of answering Tenzou’s question, he turned to Hermione, who had a thoughtful look on her face. How much had she understood, he wondered.  
  
“ _What do you think?”_ he asked, going with the assumption she had understood most, if not all, of what was said.  
  
_“I- They’re your friends, no? It’s up to you.”_ He heard what she did and didn’t say. ‘It’s up to you’ basically meant ‘if you trust them’ in any language. And while they hadn’t discussed this part, he knew Inoichi was already aware of their bond. Why else had he brought her here? Kakashi hadn’t forgotten about him. He knew Inoichi was observing all of them, but mostly Hermione and himself. Well, if it would help them understand the bond more, he figured it couldn’t hurt.  
  
_“Very well.”_ He said, before turning towards his team. “I’ll explain. Only, not here. It’s probably best if we go to my house, since it’s closest.” He suggested, knowing his team would follow. He risked a glance towards Inoichi, who gave him a small nod. He felt himself get a bit anxious now. He knew his team, yes. However, he wasn’t sure how they would respond to this news. No doubt it would clarify some parts for them, but it would also raise a lot of questions. Questions he didn’t have the answers to. Questions none of them had answers to. Well, one thing at a time. The rest would come later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I can't wait to hear what you guys think! 
> 
> Until next time! 
> 
> Xx


	29. Let It All Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies! :D
> 
> Okay. So. Are you guys ready? You better be. Because there's a new chapter! 
> 
> I do want to warn some/most of you. There's going to be angst. Quite a bit of it too. You're hereby warned.   
> Anyways, this chapter is looooooong. It's actually about twice as long as a regular chapter. I thought about cutting it in half, but honestly, it needed to be one whole chapter. Kakashi's got a lot to say :')
> 
> Also, please ignore any mistakes that you see :'). I've been looking at this chapter for two days straight and I just couldn't anymore haha. So there's a good possibility there are a few. I apologise in advance!
> 
> I hope you enjoy it nonetheless! :D

**Chapter 29: Let It All Out  
  
  
** Being as close to his home meant it only took a minute or two to get there. Kakashi ran there, same for his team. Inoichi took Hermione there by using the Body Flicker technique. They had only arrived as soon as Kakashi and his team did as well, making him wonder why they waited.   
  
Letting everyone in the house, everyone moved to the living room, while everyone took a seat, he opted for leaning against the wall. Hermione and Inoichi took a seat on the couch, as did Genma. Shisui and Yugao brought the chairs from the kitchen, placing them across from the couch.   
  
Kakashi wasn't sure where to start with all of this and wondered if Hermione would even be able to follow everything. Hell, did Inoichi know? He figured he did, as he didn't look at all surprised. Not that he would show that, but still. He looked around the room as his team was patiently waiting for him to speak.  
  
"Senpai?" Tenzou said. "Will you start, or?"   
  
He really appreciated his kohai at this point. He must have realised how uncomfortable Kakashi was, no doubt remembering their conversation from a few weeks ago as well.   
  
"Thanks." He said, "but I'll explain. Inoichi-san, will you translate when needed?" He figured it was best to let him do so, it wouldn't do if he'd had to do this himself while also informing his team.  
  
With a nod from the blonde man, he turned to his team. He was about to open his mouth to start, when Hermione spoke up.   
  
_" Wait, please."_ She said as she took out her wand. She pointed it towards Genma's face who, to his amusement, started squirming and moving away from her. _"Don't be a baby,"_ she scolded. _"Epiksey."  
  
_ Kakashi felt his eyebrows rise, and saw the rest of his team do the same. Genma's lip was suddenly healed. "What the-" he said as he touched his lip in confusion and then looked at her in surprise.   
  
Hermione looked back at him, raising an eyebrow, daring him to say something about it. Genma wisely kept his mouth shut, turning to Kakashi instead. It would seem he still wanted an explanation, then. Right.  
  
“Okay, I guess I do owe you some sort of explanation.” He started  
  
“Finally!” Shisui let out.   
  
“Shisui, shut up or I won’t.” He shot the Uchiha a glare.  
  
“Sorry, senpai.” Which would’ve meant something if he actually sounded sorry.  
  
“Right,” Kakashi said with a sigh, then he adopted a bored-sounding voice. “I’m not going to beat around the bush. Simply put, Hermione-san and I are bonded. The extent of the bond is still unknown to us. What we _do_ know, however, is that it affects our emotions.” He shrugged.  
  
“Question!” Shisui said, raising a hand. “What do you mean it affects your emotions?”  
  
“Just like I said, Shisui, I-”  
  
“If I may,” Hermione piped up, drawing surprised looks from his team. The accent was still apparent, obviously, but she’d come a long way for sure. He figured the lessons she’s had with Inoichi really have helped her improve.  
  
“And please correct me if I say something wrong,” she said slowly, clearly still somewhat struggling with the pronunciation. “But what Kakashi-san means is that in some, um, _what’s the word for extreme_?” She looked at Inoichi in question.  
  
“Extreme.” Inoichi supplied, giving Kakashi a look he didn’t really like. It was almost as if he was being scolded by that single look. Like any of this was his fault? He had to refrain from scoffing in response.  
  
“Ah, yes, in some extreme cases we feel what the other is feeling.”  
  
“What kind of extreme cases?” This time it was Yugao who spoke up, looking at Hermione. He was glad that his team helped her out by speaking slower than usual. Especially Shisui who could get a bit overexcited sometimes. Kakashi just wasn’t sure he wanted to know what examples Hermione would give of those extreme cases.  
  
“Well, for example,” she started, glancing at Kakashi and looking slightly annoyed. “A few minutes ago, on that field? I’m sure you saw Kakashi and realised he was angry. Well, while you _saw_ that, I _felt_ it. I didn’t know what was happening. All I knew is that it wasn’t good, which was why Inoichi and I came to check.”  
  
“What did you feel?” The Uchiha asked, looking at Kakashi in what looked like wonder, as if he couldn’t imagine Kakashi feeling something so extreme that it would cause Hermione to respond. Kakashi, in turn, made sure nothing was betrayed from his face or posture, acting as if he hadn’t had a single care in the world.  
  
Before Hermione was able to respond to that, Genma spoke. “I’m sorry, but this is ridiculous. You actually believe you’re bonded?” He asked, full disbelief. “You’ve got to be kidding me. This is a joke, right?” Genma looked at Kakashi. “What the fuck does that even mean?”  
  
“Did you not just listen to what we said?” Kakashi retorted. “We literally _just_ explained it.”  
  
“Fuck that. Look, man, I don’t know how you got her to help you with this, but this is bullshit.” He said, standing up quickly. Kakashi kept his eye on Genma, but noticed Hermione back away towards Inoichi. He turned to her then, “you know what. Do yourself a favor and stay away from him, Hermione-san. People don't call him Friend-Killer Kakashi for nothing." Genma said angrily.   
  
Kakashi froze as soon as Genma said that, feeling his throat constrict stopping him from saying anything in his defense. He hadn't heard someone say that in years. Did he really think that? Did he actually believe that had happened? He knew he was to blame for Rin's death. And really, Obito's too. The urge to breathe became stronger and stronger but he couldn't seem to get any air in his lungs.   
  
“Genma.” Inoichi warned, standing up and moving in front of Hermione.   
  
"You know what?" The senbon-user turned to Kakashi once again, looking him straight in the eye. "Why don't you just do all of us a favor and do the same thing your father did. We all know you're in the same pathetic mindset." He spat.  
  
“Shiranui, that’s enough!” Inoichi interrupted, moving to grab him by the arm. “You’re drunk. Go home and sleep it off. You will report to the Hokage first thing in the morning. ”Uchiha, Uzuki, make sure he gets home. Tenzou, please report to the Hokage’s office and explain what has happened.”  
  
“Yes sir.” The three of them said, disappearing from the room and taking Genma with them.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione didn’t know what happened, not really. It all happened so fast. She had been present, had understood what was being said, but didn’t get the underlying meaning of the words. Well, except “Friend-Killer Kakashi”, that was pretty self explanatory. She sat on the couch in Kakashi’s living room, looking around in a daze as the shinobi left, taking Genma with them. Inoichi tried speaking to Kakashi, but didn’t seem to get a response from the silver-haired teen.  
  
She didn’t blame Inoichi for trying, but knew Kakashi wouldn’t respond. His feelings were overwhelming once again, but this time it was different. So different. There was so much. _Too_ much. It was suffocating. There was so much hurt and anger, disbelief and guilt. All of this only fueled her anger as well. Hermione didn’t know what happened between Genma and Kakashi to cause this falling out they had, but she had a feeling it had never been this extreme. It felt like a line was crossed, for sure, especially with how Inoichi reacted.  
  
Looking up, she saw Kakashi glancing at her, hurt perceptible in his eye. He took a step back, followed by another. Next thing she knew, he walked out of the room and a moment later, she heard his bedroom door shut. The moment she heard the click of the lock, she stood up. “I need to go talk to him.”  
  
“Hermione-san,” Inoichi said hesitantly. “I don’t think that’s a good idea right now.”  
  
“He needs someone to talk to.” She objected, crossing her arms.  
  
“I know. But he won’t. We’ve tried it before. He just won’t talk.” The man shook his head and let out a sigh.   
  
Hermione huffed at that. “Well, then he’ll just have to listen to me.”  
  
“Hermione-”   
  
“No, Inoichi-san. You don’t- It hurts. Whatever he’s feeling, it _hurts_. And if it hurts me, then it’s even worse for him. Please let me go speak with him.” Hermione begged. “No one should be left alone, not when they’re feeling like this. Please.”  
  
She could see Inoichi going over it in his head and in the end he nodded. "I'm staying here too, however. Just in case."  
  
Hermione smiled up at him in thanks. "Of course. Thank you."  
  
Making her way towards his bedroom, she paused at the door that once was her room. She shook her head, "now is not the time for this, Hermione." She mumbled to herself, continuing on to Kakashi's room.   
  
As she stopped at the door, she was reminded of her last night here. All it took was looking at his door and she was right back, feeling the fear that she had felt then too. It made her hesitant to knock on the door. She knew he needed support, needed someone to comfort him. But would she be able to? What if he did something again?   
  
No, Hermione. Come on. Inoichi is here too, you're not alone. And he really, really needs someone. He was there for her, too. A small smile formed on her lips as she thought back to the incredibly awkward hug he had given her. It was incredibly clear that Kakashi had no idea what he was doing. But he shoved that aside and tried to comfort her. If he could do that, she could at least try, right?   
  
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, before raising her hand and knocking softly on the door. She waited a few moments, hoping to get at least some sort of a response yet nothing happened. There weren't any sounds, nor any indication he was coming to the door.   
  
"Kakashi-san?"   
  
Again she waited, but again, he didn't respond.   
  
"Please open the door." She tried again. This man, honestly. It's almost as if he didn't want anyone to help him.   
  
"Kakashi-san, please unlock the door before I do it myself."  
  
"Go away," he said. Finally, at least there's a response, she thought.   
  
"I'm not leaving, so you might as well open the door." She put her hands on her hips, tapping her foot impatiently. Again, she was met with silence. Well, if he wasn't going to open the door, she would.   
  
Taking her wand out, she pointed it at the door and said _"Alohomora."_ A soft click was heard as the door unlocked. She quickly grabbed the doorknob and opened the door, not giving him any chance to react.   
  
_"What the-_ Didn't I tell you to go away?" He said, raising his voice, looking at her full of anger. "I want to be left alone, so I would really appreciate it if you left."  
  
"Well, that's too bad," she stated matter-of-factly, crossing her arms after she put her wand away again. "I'm not going anywhere."  
  
"Damn it. Will you get it through your thick skull? I _don't_ want you here. Leave!" He hissed as he turned back around, moving to sit down on the other side of the bed, his back towards her. The feeling she got from him said the opposite though. It was whirling around in agony, the feeling of abandonment rushed through her.   
  
"I just want to talk to you, Kakashi-san."   
  
"And I don't want to hear whatever it is you have to say about me."  
  
About him? Why would she-? "I never said I wanted to say something _about_ you. I wanted to talk _to_ you, _with_ you." Hermione said, sounding as confused as she felt. No doubt he would feel the same confusion, hopefully understanding that she genuinely hadn't a clue what he meant.   
  
"Of course you did." He scoffed, clearly not believing a word she said. "Either way, I'm not interested. So you might as well go." His back was still towards her, he hadn't even so much as looked at her when he spoke to her. He seemed tense, back hunched over, head down.  
  
Instead of following his request, she closed the door and moved towards him. She heard him sigh, but ignored it as she squatted down in front of him.   
  
"You just don't listen, do you?"   
  
"I'd say I'm about as equally stubborn as you are, wouldn't you say?" She joked, bumping her fist against softly against his shoulder. The moment they touched, the intensity of his emotions became even more apparent. "Hey," she said. "I just want to help."  
  
"You can't help, Genma's right. You're better off leaving me alone."  
  
Hermione raised her eyebrows in response, not that he'd be able to see it. He still hadn't looked at her, just continued to look down. She huffed, "how about you let me be the judge of that?"   
  
Before Kakashi could give her any type of response, she stood up and put her arms around his neck, bringing him back up a bit. He froze the moment she did so. While it was quite an uncomfortable position, she held on, holding him tightly. It helped he was taller than she was, for sure.   
  
It felt like forever before he relaxed his shoulders, even if it was just slightly. It felt even longer, before he tentatively put his arms around her as well. "You know," she whispered somewhat jokingly. "This would work a lot better if you stood up."  
  
She heard Kakashi snort next to her ear, before standing up slowly, still holding on to her. It broke her heart, because she could so closely feel what he was feeling. He was afraid to let go. Afraid, maybe, that she'd disappear the moment she let him go. She was determined to make him see that she wasn’t like that. Wouldn’t let a friend be by themselves, especially not when they were hurt.  
  
The moment he stood at his full length, he almost had to bend back down in order to hug her properly, resulting in Hermione standing on her tiptoes to hold onto him as well. Her right hand rested in the back of his neck, while her left hand rested on his right shoulder. She hadn't felt his hair before, not expecting it to be as soft, slowly running her fingers through his hair in the back of his head. She figured she did _something_ right, as he let out a soft sigh and relaxed even more against her, tightening his grip on her.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Kakashi didn’t know what to think of Hermione anymore. She completely ignored his request that she should leave, instead moving towards him, getting into his space and then going as far as giving him a hug? What was he supposed to do with this? It didn’t feel as awkward as it had when he had given her a hug, making him think she was definitely a lot better than this. He never expected a hug like this to calm him down, or was it the bond that helped her calm him down? He didn’t know anymore.  
  
Her comment that this would work better if he stood up, made him snort. He felt her chuckle at that response. Kakashi wasn’t sure what to do, so he just went along with it, slowly standing up while still holding her. He wasn’t sure what made him do it, but he couldn’t bear the thought of letting go, not now. He didn’t want to be alone anymore. The thought of her leaving was almost unbearable. As he stood, he felt her move up with him, making her taller than she actually was. Hermione wobbled a bit, telling him she was standing on the tip of her toes in order to keep hugging him, which made him hold on even tighter in response.  
  
Kakashi wasn’t sure how long they stood there, but with every passing second he felt himself relax even more. The electricity that had sparked so intensely between them at the training field, now was a quiet, soothing tingling sensation under his skin. He felt one of her hands on the back of his neck, softly scraping the back of his head and neck as she ran her fingers through his hair. It felt really good, he actually had to stop himself from making any sounds of appreciation. No one had ever held him or touched him like this before. He didn’t think anyone would ever _want_ to. Didn’t think that anyone would feel safe to do this.  
  
It felt like they had stood there forever, but at the same time it was too soon when Hermione moved to step away from him. Kakashi had to forcefully stop himself from moving after her, taking a step back as well. Looking up at her face. She gave him a small, gentle smile before dropping it, a frown forming on her face.  
  
 _“I know you probably don’t want to talk about it.”_ She started, speaking softly. _”But, will you tell me? What he meant when he said-? I mean, I can guess, only I’d rather hear it from you.”  
  
_ Kakakashi stayed silent, mulling over her words. Why would she want to hear about the awful things he’s done? He really didn’t want to talk about it, especially not with her. It would only drive her away. It may be selfish, but he knew that if he did say something about it, he’d have to give up her company like this. And right now, he didn’t want that. Not when they finally started to get along. _“It doesn’t matter.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“I think it does.”_ She objected immediately. _  
_ _  
_ _“Hermione-”_ Kakashi tried to say that she really didn’t want to know. _  
_ _  
_ _“Look, I understand this isn’t easy. Trust me, I do. But keeping it bottled up won’t help you. It will only serve to hurt you even more. You need to let it out, Kakashi-san.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“I can’t.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Well, why not?”_ Again, she crossed her arms, looking very unimpressed with his attempts to stop her from finding out what Genma had meant. _  
_ _  
_ _“You wouldn’t understand.”_ He ended up saying, looking away from her.   
  
_“Then explain it to me.”_ As if it were that simple. If only it _were_ that simple. _  
_ _  
_He groaned at that, _“Hermione-”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“I’m not taking ‘no’ for an answer. So please, just talk to me.”_ She was practically begging at this point. _“Please, Kakashi-san. You and I both know that this isn’t working. What’s the worst thing that could happen?”_ _  
_ _  
_That she would be scared of him and that she wouldn’t want anything to do with him, Kakashi thought. _That_ was the worst thing that could happen. There was no way he was going to say that though, he wasn’t an idiot. The problem was that he didn’t know what he _should_ say, so he just opted for saying nothing at all. He was a fool for thinking she’d just drop it, of course.  
  
 _“Alright, come on,”_ she said, grabbing his arm and attempting to drag him along.  
  
 _“What?”_   
  
_“We’re going to grab a cup of tea, sit down and then we’ll talk. Really talk. So, come on.”_ _  
_ _  
_Once again, he stopped her from dragging him with her, turning her to look at him. _“I don’t think- Besides, Inoichi- It’s-”_ He couldn’t seem to get a proper sentence out and it frustrated him to no end. Her insistence to get him to talk- he didn’t know what to make of it. No one ever tried this hard to get him to open up. It was not at all the same as after his first Jonin mission when Obito- nor after Rin. But maybe that had been Minato-sensei’s handling. He didn’t know. There was so much he didn’t know, even things he thought he knew but obviously didn’t.  
  
 _“Inoichi-san won’t mind. And, we could always sit on the porch, get some privacy. So, come on. It’ll help, trust me. Please?”_ This time when she tugged on his arm, he relented, letting her drag him along with her, towards the kitchen. He broadened his senses and felt Inoichi’s chakra signature in the living room. It flared shortly, letting Kakashi know he was aware that Kakashi was feeling for his surroundings. He was glad that his team wasn’t there to see him get dragged along by Hermione. He wouldn’t hear the end of it, no doubt. And in all honesty, it wasn’t at all like that. She was just providing him with someone who would listen to him, no questions asked. Well, there would be questions, probably. It was Hermione after all. But somehow, he didn’t mind it as much, not when it came to her. Was that weird? He wasn’t sure.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione tugged Kakashi along, not letting him go until they entered the kitchen and not before she absolutely had to. She found that as long as she held onto him, he felt more calm. Knowing this, it was hard to let go. She set to making the tea, leaving him standing awkwardly in the kitchen. It only took a few more minutes before she gave Kakashi a cup of tea, silently beckoning him to follow her with a nod of her head. She knew she was acting like this was her house, and she knew for a fact that it wasn’t. But she _also_ knew that Kakashi wasn’t in the right mindset at the moment. He needed her to do this, even if he didn’t realise it yet.  
  
They quickly passed Inoichi, who was very kind in not acknowledging them, instead pretending to be engrossed in the book he had in his hands. She appreciated him for doing that. Made it at least a bit less awkward.  
  
She opened the door towards the backyard and set her cup down on the porch, sitting down herself as well. She patted the spot next to her, looking up at Kakashi expectantly, who just raised an eyebrow in return at her behaviour. “Just sit down, Kakashi-san.” She said with a sigh.   
  
He set his cup down as well, taking his place on her left. He reached for his cup, but hesitated. “Don’t worry, I won’t look. I promise.” Hermione assured him. She didn’t want to betray his trust by taking a peak. Even if she did have a good idea of what he looked like. The thought made her smile, not understanding at all why he would hide his face.  
  
Picking up the cup as well, she blew on it to cool it down a little, before taking a small sip. From her left, she heard him do the same after finally pulling his mask down. Hermione kept her promise by keeping her eyes pointed to the front. It wasn’t until her cup was almost empty when she decided there had been enough silence. She cleared her throat, indicating she was about to say something and waited for him to pull his mask back up.   
  
“Genma is right,” Kakashi said, speaking up first. “You shouldn’t be anywhere near me. You’ll only end up dead.”  
  
“Come on, Kakashi-san. Not this again?” She replied exasperated, rolling her eyes.   
  
“Yes, this again.” He angrily retorted. “You’re not listening to me.”  
  
“Ka-”  
  
“No, you _have_ to listen to me. People who get close to me, they-” Kakashi fell silent as he cut himself off, but his emotions did all the talking for him, from what she was feeling. “It’s better for everyone if you-” Again, he stopped speaking and he just stayed silent after that.  
  
Hermione didn’t say anything either for a long time. She didn’t know how to make him understand that it was _not_ him. That it most likely wasn't something that was his fault, no matter what he thought. There are so many variables that need to be taken into account. It's never really just one person's fault.   
  
“Can you explain it to me?” She asked. "I just- I really want to understand, Kakashi-san. I want to understand why you think I'm in more danger _with_ you, especially with the bond acting up whenever we're apart like that." It just didn't make sense. They were going to experience so much hurt if they fought the bond, so it would only make sense if they stayed at least somewhat closer together.   
  
Hermione watched as he sighed and put his knees up to rest his elbow on them. He then looked up, but stayed silent nonetheless. Hermione herself didn't speak up either, giving him the time to get his thoughts in order. He was incredibly conflicted she could tell, getting a better grasp on what he was feeling. There was annoyance too, which she was all too familiar with. And anger, hurt and fear. She couldn't imagine what it was he was so scared of. Then again, she could guess, especially with him fighting it so hard to let her in.   
  
"I guess it started with my father." He said softly, but still in a voice that sounded like he didn't care at all. But he did, he very much did care.   
  
"What happened?" She asked, almost whispering.   
  
"He-" Kakashi shifted slightly, as if uncomfortable with this subject. She wasn't sure what he was about to say, so was afraid to encourage him or say anything at all. "There was a mission that he- I'm not really sure what happened exactly. He never told me." He shrugged. She had a feeling he wasn’t entirely truthful about that. But she would keep her mouth shut. He was finally talking after all.  
  
"I was about five when he went on that mission, I had just started the Academy a year before so I was mostly busy with school. When he came back, he was different. Not as attentive as he was before. I also noticed other shinobi acting differently towards him, whenever we were outside. I asked him about it, but he had just brushed it off, saying it wasn't important."  
  
Hermione frowned at that. So his father's mission had gone wrong then? He made it back, so it wasn't that he had died. Maybe the mission was hard on him? She could only imagine what these missions were like, knowing for a fact she would never be the same if she went on one. She only had experience with the stuff that happened at school and knew that every single thing that had happened had changed her one way or another.  
  
“It was though. I found out later- too late, what had happened. His team members had been in trouble and he decided to abort the mission in favour of helping them, saving them.”  
  
“I can’t imagine how hard that must have been. He must have been a brave man.” Hermione commented. Kakashi let out a humourless chuckle, making Hermione raise her eyebrows. Had she been wrong?   
  
“His teammates didn’t agree with that. Nor did anyone else in the village. He was dishonoured. Shunned. Vilified.”   
  
This sounded a lot worse than she had expected. All this for saving someone’s life? What kind of village was this? This was ridiculous. “I don’t get it. He saved their lives! Why would he be treated like that?”  
  
Kakashi turned his head to look at her. The way he looked at her was terrifying. There was nothing there, nothing to tell her what he was thinking. This made her all the more glad that she was connected to him in a way they still didn’t completely understand. Behind this mask, metaphorically and literally, she knew what was going on. What he was feeling. This was just his defense, she knew. There was so much hurt and anger. She had a feeling this wasn’t everything though. There was more to this to get a reaction like this.  
  
“What happened after that?” She hesitantly asked, almost afraid of hearing his answer.  
  
“He couldn’t deal with it. Any of it. And in the end, he decided to take his own life.” Kakashi shrugged. “I’m the one that found him. I was late, coming back from training in the woods nearby.”  
  
Hermione couldn’t stop the gasp from escaping, hand flying towards her mouth to try and stop it. Tears formed in her eyes at what he had said, but also at what he felt. Naturally this had hurt him a lot more than he was showing. She didn’t blame him. Somehow Hermione had a feeling this hadn’t been all, though. The man had had a son to live for, didn’t he? Surely that was something to work for, no matter what anyone else thought. But maybe she was just that naive in thinking that would be enough. She was already proud of Kakashi for telling her this. It couldn’t have been easy, at all.  
  
“I’m so sorry.” She said. She didn’t know what else to say, how to voice any of the thoughts that ran through her head. “But please don’t think this was your fault. You were only five years old, Kakashi-san.” She placed a hand on his shoulder, hoping to convey her feelings on this. Kakashi hummed in response, but didn’t shrug her hand off, which she counted as a win. She gave him a soft squeeze to let him know that she was here, which she was. She just needed him to understand this too.  
  
“It’s fine. It was a long time ago.” It was _not_ fine, but she refrained from commenting.   
  
“What about your mother? Was she there to-” She didn’t even know how to finish that sentence. Up until this point he hadn’t actually mentioned his mother, making her feel like she wasn’t in the picture. Hermione knew better than to just assume this, though. While it wasn’t a simple thing to ask, it was the best thing to do.  
  
“No. My mother died before that. I don’t really remember her.” And another shrug. Honestly, this wasn’t normal.  
  
“Then, was there anyone else to, oh, I don’t know, help you? Be there for you? Family? Friends?” She asked. Surely there had been _someone_ to help him out. He was only _five_ for Merlin’s sake. “Don’t tell me they just left a five year old alone, without anyone?”  
  
“No. Not that it was necessary, I was fine on my own. And after I graduated from the Academy, I went to work. When you become a shinobi, you’re kind of on your own, anyway. Legally, you’re an adult, that’s just how it is.”  
  
She kind of understood that, it made sense, didn’t it? Once someone graduates from Hogwarts, they go look for a job as well, having a legal age of seventeen. It was still sooner than the muggles. But still, that would mean there was still quite a few years where he still was in school, didn’t it? So what about those years then? Surely they didn’t leave a five year old on his own, with no funds and no help?  
  
“And what about the years until you graduated?” Hermione asked  
  
Kakashi turned to look at her, with a certain glint in his eye. “What makes you think it took me years to graduate?” How he managed to sound so incredibly smug never ceased to surprise her.  
  
She held up her hand, “hold on,” she said, trying to gather her thoughts. This was unbelievable, all of it. “How long does it take someone to finish the Academy?”   
  
“Well, on average, people graduate around the age of eleven or twelve.” _That_ young? So when people started working as a shinobi, they were _children?_ Was she one to talk, though? After all, she was quite young as well when she had dealt with things at Hogwarts, being only twelve when she ran into a troll.  
  
“And,” Hermione said slowly, not sure if she was going to like the answer to her question. “How old were you, when you graduated?”  
  
“I was five.” Her heart dropped. Five? _Five?!_   
  
“Get out.”  
  
A raised eyebrow was her response, once again. She noticed with a small amount of humour that he was actually quite predictable. Either a raised eyebrow, a hum, a shrug, an answer that had nothing to do with her question or the blunt truth. It was refreshing, in a way. She was glad she had figured out this much up until now. It made it a lot easier to communicate with him.  
  
“You’re telling me,” she started, having to take a deep breath to calm herself down as she felt herself get angry. “That you started working at the age of five and there was no one that said ‘Gosh, maybe this isn’t the best idea?’ Are you _kidding_ me?”  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
She was angry. He didn’t need the bond to figure that one out. Just, what was she actually angry about? The anger he felt coming from her had lasted almost the entire conversation, so it was hard for him to pinpoint what the actual issue was. Was it him? About his father? Or the decision to make him a Genin at the age of five? Not that he understood if it was the latter, he was fine with that. There wasn’t anything the Academy could’ve taught him and he’d rather keep himself busy. Also, keeping someone like him in the Academy, while they could have him out in the field wouldn’t make any sense at all.  
  
He decided to just ask. If he was already going as far to talk about his father, he could do this as well, right? _“You’re angry,”_ he said, instead of asking like he intended. Why couldn’t he just ask a simple question? It’s not that hard, Kakashi, come on, he berated himself.  
  
 _“Yes, I am.”_ She told him quite harshly, especially for her, which made him raise his eyebrow. _“I’m angry because of a lot of things at the moment. But that’s not important now. This is about you, Kakashi-san and I want to help you and ranting about my thoughts won’t do either of us any good.”_ She said in a matter-of-fact tone. She turned to look at him expectantly, no doubt hoping he’d change the subject by continuing with his story. _  
_ _  
_Kakashi watched her as she took a few deep breaths, calming herself and in turn him as well. He then cleared his throat, _“so, anyway,”_ he scratched the back of his neck. _“That’s what Genma was referring to, regarding my father.”_ He said almost in a casual tone, changing the subject back to the initial subject. He tried very hard to keep his emotions in check, not giving anything away.   
  
_“Right.”_ Hermione responded, _“again, I’m sorry-”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“It’s fine.”_ Kakashi cut her off, holding his hand up. He didn’t get why she kept saying she was sorry. This wasn’t something she was responsible for. It was in the past. He still felt a lot of anger towards Genma though. He had never expected him to lash out like that. Never expecting him to stoop so low as to use his father as an insult. He was grateful that Inoichi stepped in when he had, seeing as Kakashi hadn’t been able to, too shocked at his subordinate's behaviour.  
  
Both fell silent after that. Kakashi was too busy thinking if he should just continue on talking, or leave it at this. It had been oddly freeing to finally talk about his father. He never thought that speaking about it would lessen the weight on his shoulders. Maybe- maybe it’d be better to talk about his team too? His old team. Yeah, he figured he would. Just to get it over with, in a way. Put it out in the open. He would probably regret it later, no doubt she would want nothing to do with him after this. But then- at least she couldn’t say he didn’t try. Right?  
  
 _“As for the other thing Genma said. About me being-”_ Underneath his mask, he bit his lip. _“About me getting the nickname ‘Friend-Killer Kakashi’.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“It’s alright, you know.”_ She said, once more placing her hand on him, this time his upper arm. _“If it’s too difficult- I mean, I want to know, sure. But I don’t want you to be too uncomfortable.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“It’s f-”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“It’s_ not _fine. I can feel how uncomfortable you are.”_ She scolded softly.   
  
_“No, you were right.”_ Kakashi said, barely audible. _“I need to do this. So, it_ is _fine.”_ He had realised that much. He had gotten this far, already. Never before had he even dared to speak about what had happened to his father. Not to anyone. And now, for the first time, really. He was going to speak about what had happened with Obito and Rin, about Minato-sensei and Kushina.  
  
He took a deep breath before starting to speak again. Explaining that once someone became a Genin, they were put on a team with two others, under the tutelage of a Jonin. They then go on easy missions, preparing themselves for the next promotion, Chunin. When he said he was promoted at the age of six, he felt another burst of anger coming from Hermione, but she stayed silent, letting him speak.   
  
He spoke about how during that time he was placed under Namikaze Minato, the late Fourth Hokage. They worked together for a few years, before two others were placed on the same team. _“Their names were Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Uchiha? Isn’t that the same name as-”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Shisui. Yes, they’re from the same clan.”_ He didn’t share anything else on how they were related. He wasn’t part of the Uchiha clan, so it wasn’t up to him to speak about that.   
  
_“During one of our missions, I had just been promoted to Jonin, just turned twelve. The mission went sideways quite quickly. Rin got kidnapped. She’d been an easy target, as all medics are. Obito insisted that we went to get her. I was dead set on finishing the mission first. I was-”_ He stopped, thinking back to that day. How Obito went against his orders, saying his father had been a hero for choosing the lives of his teammates over the mission. _“I was determined not to become like my father. Ever since he had died, I followed the rules. I would not deviate from them, no matter what.”_ Kakashi let out a sigh and brought his hands to his face, rubbing it. _“I was an idiot.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“What happened?”_ Hermione asked after he fell silent again.   
  
He lowered his hands from his face, resting them on his knees again. _“Obito disobeyed my orders and went back for Rin. He said ‘Those who break the rules are scum. But those who abandon their friends, are worse than scum’ before turning around. At first I continued on but- in the end I turned around as well. I was just in time to prevent Obito from getting killed before we went to find Rin. I lost my left eye in the process.”_ _  
_ _  
_Another gasp came from him sharing that. But he didn’t let it stop him this time around. He explained how after they had saved Rin, the cave had collapsed. That he had tripped, not yet used to using only one eye. Obito had gotten him out. Had gotten himself stuck, instead. Trapped under a boulder, which had crushed his entire right side. He had died shortly after that, but not before Rin taking Obito’s eye and putting it in Kakashi’s eye socket.  
  
 _“Kakashi-”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Don’t. Don’t say that that wasn’t my fault. If I had just-”_ He shook his head. _“Anyways, it was about a year after that when Rin-”_ Damn it. You’re almost there Kakashi. Talking about Obito hadn’t been easy for him. He still felt the guilt, knowing that if he had just gone to Rin right away, Obito might’ve still been alive. But, with Rin. It was worse with Rin. He still had nightmares about that. Could still feel the blood on his skin, coating his hand and arm. Whenever he had woken up after a nightmare, he’d scrub his skin until it was almost bleeding.   
  
_“I was on another mission, when I received a message that Rin had gotten kidnapped again. This time by_ Kirigakure _. I abandoned my current mission and went to rescue her. I had- I promised Obito that I would do anything I could to keep her safe. So I got her out. The entire way back, she objected. Said I should’ve let her stay, that it wasn’t safe to bring her back home. I didn’t listen. All I could think was that I had already failed one of my team members, I couldn’t fail another.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“It wasn’t long before we were surrounded._ Kirigakure _had sent hunter-nin after us. I readied myself for an attack, was about to hit one of them when-”_ He hung his head, finishing his sentence in a near whisper. _“She was in front of me in a blink of an eye, and I- there was nothing I could do. I couldn’t stop.”_ Kakashi swallowed around the lump that had appeared in his throat. _“There was so much blood. She grabbed my arm, steadying herself. C-calling out my name. But- I had pierced her heart. There was nothing I could do.”_ _  
_ _  
_There was nothing Kakashi could do to stop the rush of emotions from taking over again. He heard Hermione choke back a sob of her own, but she wasn’t as strong as him. He had learned to fight against it. To not cry. Shinobi didn’t cry. But she wasn’t a shinobi, was she? He could smell the salt in the air that her tears created. Heard her sniffle next to him. _“That was what Genma meant. I get my friends killed. I actually killed one of them. Anyone who gets close to me dies. I-”_   
  
Kakashi didn’t expect her to react the way she did. He thought for sure this would show her how dangerous it was to be near him. He expected her to get up and leave. But that wasn’t what she did. No, what she did was the complete opposite. Feeling her turn towards him, she put her arm around him and pulled him towards her. He knew he should’ve fought it. Hatake Kakashi wasn’t someone to just get pulled along, especially not by a woman, but-  
  
His head ended up on her shoulder, close to her neck. She smelled nice, he noticed. Her hand stayed on his shoulder, but the other came up to the side of his head. _“I’m so sorry, Kakashi-san.”_ She softly whispered to him, _“but know that you can’t scare me away that easily.”_ It barely registered, his mind becoming so tired as he relaxed even further against her. She continued to hold him next to her and he continued to let her. It felt… comforting. He turned his head a little against her shoulder to look up to the sky again. That was one of the things that never changed. The one constant in his life. The stars would always be there. And maybe she would- maybe the bond would make sure that Hermione would stay around too. _  
  
_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, that wasn't too bad. Was it?
> 
> Please let me know what you think in the comments! :D 
> 
> Until next time!


	30. Gift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> So, you guys are lucky! Not only are you getting a chapter (which is a miracle in itself, because I had no inspiration whatsoever this past week) _but_ it's also a long one, again. Not nearly as long as the previous one, but definitely waaay longer than the chapters before that.
> 
> I would like to let you know that this chapter hasn't been checked after I wrote it, not by me nor anyone else. So apologies for any and all mistakes in spelling/grammar but also story-wise. 
> 
> Without further ado:
> 
> ENJOY

**Chapter 30: Gift**  
  
  
Hermione stared at the ceiling of her room. She barely had gotten any sleep, tossing and turning the entire night. Well, the small part of the night that she had spent in bed. After speaking with Kakashi, it was hard to sleep. He had bared his soul to her. And it had hurt, so much. She couldn’t imagine someone living with all of that, without speaking to anyone about it. Just keeping it inside of him, continuing on with his life. Was that even a way to live?  
  
After he was done speaking, they sat on the porch for at least another thirty minutes. He had turned his face towards her, making her look at him in question. The moment she had done so, she realised how close he was, as her nose brushed his covered nose. Both their eyes widened in shock, but neither dared to move it seemed. It was like that moment in her bedroom all over again.   
  
Kakashi suddenly moved away, looking back up to the stars, as if nothing happened. Before she could question his behaviour, the door opened behind them. Inoichi popped his head outside. Well, that explained his actions, she thought with a small blush still on her cheeks.  
  
Shortly after, she and Inoichi had gone home but not before Kakashi quietly thanked Hermione and gave a nod to Inoichi in what she assumed was thanks as well. They agreed to meet up later that week, unless Kakashi received a mission. They still had so much more to discuss, after all. Hermione let out a sigh. She really would have to get up at some point. She wanted to spend some time with Teddy before having to leave again. With everything that happened yesterday, she felt like she hadn’t seen him in days. Also, today was a somewhat exciting day, wasn’t it? She was going to meet Inoichi’s friend who was supposedly able to help her with her research.  
  
Moving her head to the side, she glanced at her alarm clock. Almost ten in the morning. She couldn’t remember the last time she slept in this late before. She looked at the crib, and noticed the bars having been lowered, indicating either Inoichi or his wife had taken Teddy downstairs already. She appreciated them letting her sleep, but she really should get up now.  
  
Hermione slowly dragged herself out of bed, getting dressed. Before leaving her room, she grabbed an empty notebook, save for several questions she had written down before falling asleep. She put the notebook in her bag, making sure that the book on bloodlines was also in her bag. While she wasn’t sure if she would need it, it couldn’t hurt to be prepared.  
  
“Mamai!” Teddy excitedly said as she entered the kitchen.   
  
“Good morning, my beautiful boy. Have you been up long? I’m so sorry for making you wait.” She cooed as she softly stroked his head and pecked him on his cheek, earning a giggle from him.   
  
Glancing at Inoichi, she had to hold back a giggle of her own as he was in a losing battle with his daughter, Ino. It would seem that she wasn't in the mood for breakfast, if the state of the table and his shirt was anything to go by. _“Tough morning, Inoichi-san?_ ” She said in greeting, unable to hide the smile on her face. Ever since she had started her language lessons with him, she had opted for trying to speak of much of it as she could. She had been so lucky that Inoichi was so patient with her.  
 _  
_ _“Don’t get me started, Hermione-san. You just wait a few more years. It won’t be too long until that one there will be going through the same mood swings.”_ He said jokingly, giving her a pointed look. _  
_ _  
_ _“Not just yet, luckily,”_ she replied as she grabbed a chair next to Teddy and sat down.   
  
“Mamai!”  
  
“Yes, yes, patience, little one.” Hermione shushed him, grabbing some food.   
  
_“He’s still calling you that?”_ Inoichi commented.   
  
_“I don’t have the heart to correct him, honestly.”_  
  
 _“Have you ever thought about officially adopting him?”_ That question threw her off. Adopting… Teddy? She never thought about that, especially since she was already seen as his guardian. _  
_ _  
_ _“What do you mean?”_ She asked, turning to look at Inoichi.   
_  
__“Well, he’s currently registered under his own name, obviously. And while you do have guardianship, you’re not his mother.”_ Well, she wasn’t going to lie. But _that_ hurt. _“Not officially. Not yet anyways.”_ He finished. _“If you want I can go get some information from the Hokage what the possibilities are and what steps need to be taken.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Yes.”_ Hermione responded immediately. She didn’t have to think twice. She would definitely adopt him if she was able to. There’s no way she would pass on that opportunity.   
  
Inoichi smiled in response. _“Very well. I’ll find out what I can after I have taken you to Shikaku. Don’t forget to bring your notebook,”_ he said jokingly. She definitely wouldn’t. It was as if every few seconds there was another question that had popped into her head, that combined with the few she had already written down, she wasn’t sure the man was going to like her, she thought jokingly.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
After Hermione and Inoichi had left, Kakashi had spent some more time on the porch. He couldn’t find the words to express how much he appreciated what Hermione had done for him. He didn’t have the words. Were there even words for this? And what had she done? She had listened to him. Truly listened. Not for information to file away or to make a report. Not to determine his state of mind, to make sure he could still do missions. Not to evaluate him. She just _listened_. Never in his life had he ever come across someone who just listened, without a hidden agenda.  
  
It wasn’t until the birds started chirping, that his mind came back into focus. He felt exhausted, his mind tired. He slowly got up, shuffling back inside. Kakashi dropped himself on his bed, not bothering to get under the covers or to even change out of his clothes, expecting to fall asleep almost immediately.  
  
He didn’t. No matter how hard he tried to drift off, he couldn’t. He tried every possible position, but nothing helped. Burying his face in his pillow, he took a deep breath and paused before groaning. He wasn’t actually going to do this, was he? No, he wasn’t. He was going to shut his mind off and go to sleep. If he could do this on missions, he sure as hell would be able to do so in his own home. This was getting ridiculous.  
  
Ten minutes later, he groaned again as he got up and dragged himself to Hermione’s room, a few doors down. His plan was to just get her scent, seeing as it had calmed him before but the moment he entered the room, her scent was only barely there, even to his sensitive nose. Without properly thinking about his actions, he sauntered into the room, grabbed a pillow and made his way back to his own room. Pressing the pillow to his face, he took a whiff and let out a sigh, feeling content. This time, it didn’t take him long to fall asleep.  
  
When he opened his eye next, he wasn’t sure what time it was. Rolling onto his back, he dazedly stared at the ceiling. That had been, hands down, the best sleep he’s had in years, he thought surprised. As his mind cleared, he was reminded of the events of the previous day. In all of his life, he’d never had such an eventful birthday. He remembered the words Genma had spat at him, thinking about what to do with that. He wondered what the Hokage would say, he should probably head down there as well, giving his own statement.   
  
He slowly got out of bed, running a hand through his hair and sighed. It was weird. He felt tired, but well rested at the same time. But also… lighter. He felt so much lighter. He hasn’t felt this light in… well, ever. It’s a nice feeling, a hopeful feeling. Would he dare to have hope? He shook his head, shaking the thoughts from his mind. No. It was time to get this day started. First a shower, then he’d be off to the Hokage’s office. He was actually itching for a mission after yesterday’s events.  
  
Kakashi was freshly showered when he knocked on the open door of the Sandaime’s office. He watched as his leader looked up and nodded for him to enter. “Good afternoon, Kakashi. What can I do for you?”  
  
“Hokage-sama,” he greeted in return. “I figured I’d drop by after yesterday’s… events.” He knew for a fact that Tenzou had been ordered by Inoichi to report to their leader.   
  
“Ah yes, it would seem you’ve had quite an interesting day.”  
  
Kakashi decided not to comment on that, instead waiting for the Hokage to start the conversation. This was awkward enough already.  
  
“Right, yes, Tenzou came with an interesting report last night of an altercation between you and Genma. While it didn't turn into an actual fight, this will have consequences for your team.” He stated. Then, looking Kakashi directly in the eye, he asked. “So, what do you want to do?"  
  
Kakashi carefully thought about that. Whatever he decided would have consequences mostly for Genma, but also his team. He _did_ know that Genma couldn't be on his team right now. While he was able to pretend nothing happened, he didn't think Genma would currently be able to control his emotions around Kakashi.   
  
"I think," he started. "I think it would be best if we temporarily remove Genma from my team. At least until we sort something out." It didn’t mean he wouldn’t want Genma back on his team, ever. They worked well together, as a team. But they would have to sort _something_ out before they could actually work as a team, again.  
  
Hokage hummed thoughtfully as he sat back. "Well, I'd have to see what Genma has to say about it, he has yet to come in. It would be best if you weren't here when he does. Depending on what he has to say, we will make a decision. You’ll be informed of that decision after that."  
  
"Of course, sir."   
  
"Before you leave, however, I have a mission for your team that cannot wait. Here," he said as he handed him a scroll from the stack on his desk. "Mission will take about two to three weeks. You leave early tomorrow morning." He said.   
  
Looking at the contents of the scroll, Kakashi suppressed a groan. Yuki no Kuni. Land of Snow. His team was going to love this. "Consider it taken care of, Hokage-sama." He replied, before taking a bow.   
  
"Good. Dismissed." With another bow, Kakashi turned on his heel and walked out. Instead of flickering away, something told him to take the long route instead. With a small shrug, he trusted his gut and pocketed his hands, making his way outside.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione gave Teddy a hug and a kiss on his cheek before he left with Mrs. Yamanaka and Ino. She had suggested taking both kids to the playground, taking Teddy off of her hands as Hermione went with Inoichi to meet up with his friend Shikaku. Watching them disappear from sight, she felt bad for spending so little time with him. As if Inoichi heard her thoughts, he stepped up next to her and said “you’ll see him later today, Hermione-san.”  
  
“Oh, I know,” she said with a sigh. “It’s just- I feel like I’m just handing him off to someone else.”  
  
“Hm, sometimes that’s necessary. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be able to take care of him in the long run. Plus, this will give him an opportunity to socialise with other kids. That’s a good thing.”  
  
His arguments made sense, of course. She decided to trust his judgement. He was a parent himself, after all. It didn’t mean she felt less guilty, but she told herself that she’d make it up to Teddy later that day. “I guess,” she said in response, still looking in the direction Teddy had gone.  
  
“Come on,” Inoichi said, nudging her shoulder. “We’re going to be late. Got everything with you?”  
  
Hermione nodded as she turned to glance at him, “yeah, I’ve got it all in here.” She said patting the bag slung over her shoulder.   
  
Inoichi hummed as he moved his eyes to her bag, “it never ceases to amaze me how you fit stuff in that little bag of yours.”  
  
Hermione grinned at him, “magic.” She replied cheekily with a wink.  
  
She received a chuckle in return, with a soft "of course." He then pointed in the direction opposite of where his wife had gone, signaling for Hermione to follow him.   
  
The walk was a fairly short one, one she was getting quite familiar with, seeing she's had countless meetings with the Hokage up until this point. It did confuse her to see they were going in the same direction. Maybe this man's workplace was near the Tower?   
  
When they entered the Tower, she figured it would've been a bit awkward to ask now, so she kept quiet. She followed Inoichi as he turned to the stairs and started climbing them. Hermione, with all her experience from Hogwarts, barely reacted as she started climbing the stairs alongside him. From the corner of her eye, she could see Inoichi glancing at her in what seemed to be surprise, but he kept any comments to himself.   
  
They stopped on the third floor, walking through an unmarked hallway, passing several open and closed doors. Inoichi stopped in front of a room, with the door open, walking inside. Hermione glanced inside and noticed a man standing near the window with hands in his pockets, watching them. He looked nothing like Inoichi, who had looked gentle upon meeting him. This man however, didn’t look that welcoming at all. His dark hair was up in a ponytail, two scars marred the right side of his face.   
  
_“Took you long enough, Inoichi.”_ The man drawled in greeting. How he managed to look so serious, but sound so bored, she would probably never know.  
  
 _“We’re right on time, Shikaku."_ Inoichi replied, unimpressed. _"I assume you've spoken to Hokage-sama?"  
  
_ The man, Shikaku nodded, _"yeah, I've read the file too. I assume that's her? She speaks English?"  
  
_ _"And a little bit of your language, as well."_ Hermione piped up. She didn't but quite managed to not sound annoyed, hating it when people talked over her instead of to her.   
  
_"More than a little bit it seems,"_ Shikaku drawled, again sounding bored. His face told a different story. His eyes were sharp as he took her in. Hermione hadn't felt like this since her first meeting with professor McGonagall. It wasn't a bad feeling, not really. She just felt like he was making an assessment of her and she wasn't sure what to think of it.   
  
With his hands in his pockets, the dark-haired man slowly walked towards her, making Hermione want to step back. She stood her ground, however, knowing he wouldn't do anything, not with Inoichi there.   
  
He stopped in front of her, still looking at her with a calculating gaze, before he took one of his hands out of his pocket and held it out. _"Nara Shikaku,"_ he said, introducing himself.   
_  
_Hermione felt her eyebrows raise slightly, before sticking out her own hand, grasping his before giving it a shake, "Hermione Granger, _it's a pleasure meeting you."_ She replied. She received a small smirk in return, followed by a nod.   
  
_"Would you be opposed to converse in my language?"  
  
_ _"Not at all, Nara-san. I, um, prefer it, actually. It helps me get better at it."_ Hermione replied slowly. It was still annoying to have to think of certain words, hoping she didn't say anything wrong.   
  
_"Alright, then."_ He said, turning to Inoichi. _"I assume you're going to speak with the Hokage?"  
  
_ _"Yes, I have some things to discuss. Also, Hermione-san has some questions for you as well, you don't mind answering them, right Shikaku?"_ Inoichi said, as he clapped Shikaku on the shoulder on his way out, grinning at Hermione.   
  
Hermione could see that Shikaku didn't like Inoichi's tone, and simply smiled a sweet smile when he turned his eyes on her. _"What a drag."_ He said with a sigh. _“Alright, let’s see what I can do for you.”_ She watched as he made his way back to the desk he had been standing near before, signalling for her to take one of the seats.  
  
 _“To start, Hokage-sama has explained some things about you.”_ He started, _“something about you not being from around here and having special abilities?”  
  
_ _“Ah, um.”_ Hermione responded hesitantly. _“Yes, I suppose so.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“You suppose so?”_ Shikaku asked with a raised brow. _“You don’t sound sure of yourself.”_  
  
 _“Right, well, I- I mean, it’s- it’s complicated.”_ It’s complicated? Nice one, Hermione, she thought, now he probably wouldn’t let it go. She had to refrain herself from rolling her eyes at her own behaviour, but mentally smacked herself on the head.   
  
_“Right.”_ The man slowly drawled, _“well, that would be something to discuss another time, perhaps.”_ Her eyes shot up to his in surprise. Not that she wasn’t glad that he let it go that easily, she was. But something inside her told her he probably wouldn’t actually let it go _that_ easily.  
  
 _“Anyways,”_ he said, clearing his throat. _“That’s not why you’re here right now. I was asked to help you with some research, although I’m not entirely sure_ what _it is that you’re researching.”  
  
_ Now this she could work with, this was her area of expertise. _“Yes, that’s right. I’m currently... struggling a little bit and Inoichi-san suggested I get some help, from someone who possibly knew more about this.”_ Hermione explained.  
  
 _“Which would be?”_ _  
_ _  
_Hermione looked at him. She knew just admitting this could be dangerous. For her _and_ Kakashi. But then again, he had already spoken to the Hokage, right? And he was apparently granted access to this information. And really, how else must she get help from this man? _“A bond.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“A bond?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Yes.”_ _  
_ _  
_She looked up, hesitantly meeting the older man’s eyes while he stayed silent. When she didn’t say anything else, he sighed. _“You’re going to have to give me a little more than that.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“We- I- Um, when I arrived here, I got bonded with someone. From here.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“You’re bonded to one or our shinobi?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Yes.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Who?”  
  
_ _“...”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Granger-san-”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Hermione, please.”_ She automatically said. _  
_ _  
_ _“Hermione-san.”_ He corrected himself. _“Who are you bonded with?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Me.”_ Both Hermione and Shikaku turned towards the open door that revealed. _“She bonded with me.”_ Kakashi seemed incredibly closed off, but she wasn’t sure if that was because of her or Shikaku, especially since he hadn’t looked at her yet.  
  
The moment he did, she knew it wasn’t her. A feeling of gratefulness washing over her, to which she gave him a small smile in return.   
  
“Everything okay here?” Kakashi asked her in English, keeping his eye on her.  
  
“Yes, everything’s fine.” She said, waving him off. “What are you doing here?”  
  
“Am I not allowed to be in the Hokage Tower, in my own village?” Kakashi replied with a raised brow. His voice was flat, but she knew better. He was just joking with her in his own weird way.   
  
“Oh, shut it. You know I didn’t mean it like that.” Hermione rolled her eyes at him.   
  
_“Actually-”_ _  
_ _  
_“Then what _did_ you mean?” Kakashi said, ignoring Shikaku. From the corner of her eyes, she could see him looking at the pair of them. For a short moment, she feared he would get angry or something, but he just kept his mouth shut.   
  
“Not _that_.” Hermione retorted, turning her attention back to Kakashi, crossing her arms. She was not impressed with him and refused to back down. “You _know_ it’s not that.”  
  
“Then what?” He repeated, stepping closer towards her.  
  
“What do you think I meant?” She wasn’t sure what it was, but she didn’t want this game to be over so soon, she actually found it funny and from what she was feeling, he was amused too. It was a nice, comforting feeling. Especially after last night.  
  
“That’s not how this works, Hermione-san.”   
  
“I think it’s exactly how it works.”  
  
“Is that so?” He was standing so close now, that she had to tilt her head in order to keep her locked with his.  
  
“Yep,” she said with a sly smirk. “So, what do you think I meant?”  
  
“I think-”  
  
 _“_ I _think,”_ Shikaku spoke up, _“that this is getting very uncomfortable for me. How about you two flirt with each other when I’m not present?”  
  
_ Hermione stepped back, watching Kakashi do the same, in shock. _“Wh- No. We weren’t-”_ She looked at Kakashi for help, but he just avoided everyone’s gaze, looking to the wall on his left. Figures.  
  
 _“Sure you weren’t.”_ He said. _“At least now I know what you meant when you said you were bonded.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“You’re going to research it?”_ Kakashi asked, showing he must’ve heard a lot more than just the end of their conversation.  
  
 _“Mhm, Inoichi-san figured I could use some help. And I thought- well, the last time we-”_ She didn’t finish her sentence. She knew she didn’t need to. They both knew what had happened the last time they tried to research the bond together. Hermione couldn’t help the hurt and fear that she felt. She knew he must feel it too. _  
_ _  
_ _“It’s fine,”_ He said, a feeling of calm came over her. It would never stop surprising her how comforting he could be with just his feelings, while he could be so overwhelming with them as well. _“I don’t have the time, anyway. I’ve got a mission, which means I won’t be able to meet up later this week.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Oh?”_ She said, hopefully not sounding too disappointed. _“That’s too bad. I was going to ask you to come over in two days. I heard Inoichi-san say something about a party, so it would’ve been nice to have you there.”_ She said somewhat shyly.   
  
_“Party?”  
  
_ Looking up, she saw him with a furrowed brow. _“Yes, for my birthday… wait- you didn’t know? I thought you knew.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“No,”_ he said slowly, _“I didn’t.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“I thought- oh man, I’m sorry. I figured you knew. I mean, Genma knew. So- Shit, sorry.”_ Smart, Hermione, she thought. Way to be inconsiderate.   
  
_“Stop apologising.”_  
  
 _“So-”_ He cocked his head, making her stop. Right. No apologising. _“When are you leaving?”_ She asked instead.   
  
_“In the morning.”_ _  
_ _  
_Shoot, _that_ soon? She bit her bottom lip. Hermione had actually wanted to give him a gift for his birthday, figuring it was only appropriate. They were friends now, right? Friends bought gifts. But what to get him...  
  
 _“I should go, inform my team.”_ Kakashi stated as he turned to leave.  
  
 _“Right, yes.”_ She said, before switching back to English. “Um, I was wondering, could I come by later today? I wanted to give you something. For your birthday. A- a belated birthday gift, if you will.”  
  
Kakashi paused as he looked at her, like he wasn’t sure what to think. “Oh, sure.”  
  
“Great!” She said, putting her hands together enthusiastically. She had just thought of something that would be helpful, hopefully. A perfect gift, if only to give herself some assurance it would help him get back. She had gotten the idea when she had seen a picture of him when he was younger.  
  
“Bye.” She said, as he put up his hand in a wave, giving Shikaku a nod, before leaving the room.  
  
 _“Well, that was interesting.”_ Shikaku commented, causing Hermione to blush, putting her face in her hands.  
  
 _“I’m so sorry,_ ” she said.   
  
She heard the man let out a chuckle, _“it’s fine. Like I said, now I know what you meant with being bonded. I’ve never seen him act the way he just did. And you- well, there was something about seeing the two of you together.”_ He said. _”It’s interesting.”_ _  
_ _  
_Hermione moved back towards the table, taking a deep breath to calm herself and wishing her blush away. Back to business Hermione, she told herself. She took her bag off, having not done that before, she put it on the table. She took a moment to organise her thoughts, thinking about what she would need. Book, notebook, pen. On automatic pilot, she took those items out of the bag, placing them on the table and took a seat.  
  
Looking up, she noticed Shikaku hadn’t moved. He was watching her with an unreadable look on his face. _“It’s complicated, huh?”_ He commented, nodding at her bag.  
  
She looked from him, back to her bag and the contents on the table. _“Yes, it’s complicated.”_  
  
 _“It’s a good thing I’m good at dealing with complicated things, then.”_ He said with a small smile. _“Let’s get started, shall we?”_ _  
_  
After spending a good five hours researching the bond with Shikaku and noting everything down, Inoichi came back in to pick her up. _“How’d it go? Make any progress?”_ He asked in greeting as he looked at the both of them and the different stacks of papers between them.  
  
 _“You owe me, Inoichi.”_ Shikaku grunted, sounding annoyed. It was funny to see, since the man had been nothing but helpful, patient and understanding of everything during their time together.  
  
 _“Come on, Shikaku, it wasn’t that bad? Besides,_ you _owed_ me _.”_ He then turned to Hermione with a smirk. _“Did you ask him everything you wanted to know?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Actually, I do still have some questions-”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“No, woman, I don’t care what questions you have. I’m not answering any more of them today.”_ He groaned, walking away from the desk where they sat. _  
_ _  
_Inoichi gave her a wink in response, showing her it was alright, which she had already understood. Hermione put a hand in front of her lips to try and stop the chuckle that threatened to escape, but couldn’t stop it. Shikaku looked up. _“Damn it, Inoichi, you put her up to this, didn’t you?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”_ He replied with a straight face. _“Are you ready to go?”_ He asked Hermione instead.  
  
 _“Yes, let me just grab my things.”_ She started putting her notebook, pencil and book back into her beaded bag. _“Shikaku-san, should I take the paperwork as well, or?”_ _  
  
_ _“Sure,”_ He said with a wave of his hand, not bothering to turn around. She giggled at that response, and put the papers, one stack at a time, in her bag.  
  
 _“Okay, all done.”_  
  
 _“Great, let’s go.”_ Inoichi said, holding out his hand, signalling her to leave the room.  
  
 _“Bye Shikaku-san! Thank you so much for your help!”_ She called as she left.  
  
_“Just leave!”_ _  
_ _  
_Inoichi let out a loud laugh at that. Softly patting her on the shoulder as he moved to walk beside her. _“That never gets old.”_ He said, still chuckling.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
The walk back home was quiet, but she couldn’t help but to walk with a small spring in her step. Hermione was still buzzing with energy, but knew she wasn’t allowed to talk about any of it while out in the open like this. It was hard, though, to keep it to herself. She was sure Inoichi could tell, if the smile he flashed her was any indication. Hermione also was incredibly curious to hear how his talk with the Hokage had gone. She hadn’t forgotten he was going to get some information from his leader regarding the option to adopt Teddy officially.  
  
 _“Oh! Before I forget, is there anywhere I can get some wool?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Wool?”_ Inoichi asked, confused.  
  
“ _Yes, I need some.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Uh, sure? I know a place, it’s this way.”_ He said, guiding her towards a small street to the left.   
  
It was a small shop, but it was exactly what she had needed. It had been a little while since she had knitted anything. But with a little bit of magic, it would be done in no time. Hermione was planning on casting some charms on it as well, to do her best to keep him safe. She needed him to wear it though, therefore choosing a black wool to make it concealable. Not that it would matter much. Kakashi would be the only one to know it’s actual colour, after she was done with all the charms.  
  
After she had gotten the right amount, Inoichi paid for it. Hermione tried to stop him from paying it, but he just waved her off. She had accumulated some cash, but it would seem she wasn’t going to be allowed to actually spend it. Rolling her eyes, she went along with it, filing it away for future reference. She would pay him back, at some point. One way or another.  
  
Hermione knew Inoichi was curious to know why she bought wool, of all things, but he kept his questions to himself. Once they were back at home, she would tell him, tell him all about the day. Just- maybe not about Shikaku’s comment on her flirting with Kakashi, which _hadn’t_ happened. They hadn’t been flirting. Just friendly bickering, right? Right. She refused to think about everything she had felt during said bickering. It was just like with her and Ron, when they had been younger. Only, she and Ron had ended up as a couple. No, don’t think that. This is nothing like that.  
  
Mentally shaking her head, she focused back on the present, finding they had arrived back home. Had she really been that out of it? Maybe they hadn’t been that far from the house. That was possible. Hermione put away her stuff in her room, quickly putting the knitting needles to work, charming them to knit a scarf long enough for him to wear, but not too long so that it would get in his way. Satisfied with her spell, she made her way downstairs, yearning a nice hot cup of tea.  
  
She would almost think Inoichi had read her thoughts. As she entered the kitchen, he placed a cup in front of her. _“Thanks.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Of course. I figured you wanted to let loose of all that pent up energy?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Merlin, yes. We actually made quite a bit of progress!”_ Hermione launched into telling Inoichi what had happened once he had left. That Shikaku had been incredibly kind, answering every question she had asked, regarding the bond but also them as shinobi. Trying to find out the differences but also the similarities between magic and chakra, hoping that would help explain why it would be that a witch and a shinobi were able to get bonded.  
  
She also explained that at the beginning Kakashi had shown up, that he was leaving for a mission, so that she wouldn’t be able to meet up with him like they had planned. That was also the reason she wanted to buy some wool, to get him a belated birthday present.  
  
 _“You’re getting him a scarf?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Yep. It’s going to be very handy.”_ She said with a smile.  
  
 _“Handy? How’s a scarf going to be handy?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“I’m going to make sure that no matter the weather, he’d be comfortable. Like, if it’s cold, the scarf would heat him up,_ but _if it’s warm, it would keep him cool. It would also protect him from rain and whatnot.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“I don’t think it would be something that he would be able to wear though.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Oh, I anticipated that too. It will have a cloaking charm on it, so that it won’t be in the way and people won’t be able to see it.”_ She was rather proud of that. It would take quite a strong Disillusionment Charm, but she knew it would work.   
  
_“That’s interesting.”_ Inoichi said, but let her change the subject once more, as she continued talking about her meeting with Shikaku.  
  
After dinner, she asked Inoichi if he would want to take her to Kakashi’s home. She knew he wouldn’t let her go by herself and Hermione really didn’t want to get on anyone’s bad side. The moment he agreed to take her, she rushed to her room, grabbing the wrapped scarf. Taking a quick peek, she saw Teddy was sound asleep. Tugging the blanket up to his shoulders, she gave him a quick kiss on his head, before rushing back out.  
  
A short minute later, she stood in front of Kakashi’s door, knocking softly as she eyed her shoes nervously. Inoichi stayed back a little, giving the pair a chance to talk without someone eavesdropping their conversation. The door opened, causing Hermione to quickly look up. Seeing Kakashi there, in just his sweats, almost made her blush. He was still wearing his mask, of course, but none of the other pieces of his normal outfit.  
  
 _“You want to come in?”_ He asked, opening the door a bit further as an invitation.  
  
 _“Sure,_ ” she replied with a nod. Merlin, this was awkward. It was like she was on a first date, which wasn’t the case. She really had to stop thinking like this. She didn’t see him like that and she was absolutely sure he would agree with her.  
  
 _“Would you like something to drink?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Oh, just some water is okay, thank you.”_ Kakashi grabbed a glass of water for her, placing it in front of her. _“Thanks.”_ She said, watching him sit down.   
  
_“So, as promised, I’ve brought you something,”_ she said, taking the package from her bag.  
  
“You really didn’t have to.” He protested.  
  
 _“Nonsense, we’re friends, Kakashi-san. Friends get each other gifts for their birthday, right?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Just Kakashi,”_ he said.   
_  
__“I’m sorry?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Just Kakashi. I think you know enough about me to just call me Kakashi, without the suffix.”_ Oh, she hadn’t expected that. It would honestly take her some time getting used to that.  
  
 _“In that case, you can do the same with me.”_ She said. She never really liked people calling her any different than just Hermione.  
  
 _“That’s an odd request,”_ he said, which made her look at him in surprise. _“But, if you really want to, I can call you Kakashi too. Might be a bit confusing to some people, though.”_ He didn’t. Did he just?   
  
_“Did you just crack a joke?”_ She asked bewildered.  
  
 _“What? You think I’m incapable to make jokes?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“I- no, I just. Oh my.”_ Hermione said with a smile. She’d never expected him to do that, shaking her head softly.  
  
 _“So, anyway, you got me a gift?”_ Kakashi said, placing his head on his hand, propping his elbow on the table. _  
_ _  
_ _“You’re in a mood, aren’t you?”_ She replied, _“but yes, I do. Although I’m not so sure I should give it to you.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“You can’t not give it to me. You already promised it to me. It doesn’t work that way, Hermione.”_ The way he said her name, without the suffix, was weird, but also nice to hear. She wouldn’t mind him saying that more often.  
  
Rolling her eyes, she sighed and held out the package to him. He carefully took it from her, feeling it in his hand, no doubt trying to figure out what it was. Giving up, he placed it back on the table and opened the wrapping.  
  
 _“A scarf?”_ _  
__  
__“Yes, I- I wasn’t sure what to get you, honestly, so I made this for you.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“You made this?”_ She could feel him rush to different emotions quickly, but settling on appreciation. _“Thank you.”_ He said, as he carefully held it in his hands.  
  
 _“It’s charmed,”_ she explained. _“If you wear it, only you will know about it. Also, I’ve put some protective charms on it. To protect you from the weather. I figured it could help you, wherever you’re going on your mission. I just- I wanted to do what I could to protect you. It’s the least I could do.”_ _  
_ _  
_The emotion she felt next, she hadn’t expected from him, not like this. He was hurt. Had she read it wrong? Maybe she should’ve thought it through, before giving him something like this. Suddenly he stood up, scarf in his hand and walked out of the room. Hermione wasn’t sure what to do, but decided to follow him, to try and mend whatever she had caused.  
  
Hermione found him in the room that he kept shut, where she had been when she was kidnapped. _“Kakashi?”_ She called out, slowly walking towards him. He had stopped near the cabinet which held some pictures of him, when he was younger. Kakashi seemed to be looking at one of the pictures she had seen that day too. _“Did I-”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Is this why you got me a scarf?”_ He quietly asked.  
  
 _“Yes,”_ she said in an equally quiet voice.  
  
When he turned around, the emotion he felt was also on his face. _“The scarf I’m wearing there was left by my mother. It was the only thing I had of her, but I lost it and-”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to replace-”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Stop.”_ He said, suddenly appearing right in front of her, making her take a step back. She wasn’t sure what he was going to do now. _“Stop apologising,”_ he repeated the same sentence he had said to her earlier that day.  
  
 _“I don’t know what you want me to say. Or do. I don’t-”_ She stopped talking as she watched Kakashi’s hand move towards his mask, her eyes widening.  
  
It was over before she knew it. Hermione had only caught a glimpse of his face, noting it _had_ been the same as Teddy’s, only older. His lips were soft, was the next thought that registered in her mind, as her hand flew up to her cheek. Had he? Her eyes met his, which were slightly crinkled, indicating he was smiling, or smirking at her. She wasn’t sure. He had put his mask back up.  
  
 _“Thank you.”_ He said sincerely. _“I’ll make sure I won’t lose it. I- You should probably go. Inoichi-san is waiting and I have to get up quite early in the morning.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“O-of course. Y-yes.”_ Hermione couldn’t say a word without stuttering. She was blushing. She _knew_ she was blushing. She had totally read this wrong, hadn’t she? While in a daze, Kakashi led her to the front door. She barely had said her goodbyes when Inoichi showed up, looking between the two of them, no doubt wondering what had gotten Hermione so flustered.  
  
 _“See you in a few weeks, Hermione.”_ He said. _“And Happy Birthday.”_ _  
_ _  
_Hermione was certain of it. He was going to be the death of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments make my day and make me all happy inside, which we could all use during these times.  
> Sooo: Please let me know what you think!
> 
> If you've found any mistakes, don't hesitate to point them out to me, so that I can change them :')
> 
> Stay safe and until next time!


	31. We all need someone to confide in

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helloooo!
> 
> So I wasn't planning on uploading this chapter today. But I sort of finished it early, so I figured: why not? I had nothing else to do with this heat wave going on, so you guys are lucky!
> 
> \- This chapter hasn't been checked either. Me uploading it now is a spur of the moment kind of thing, so apologies once again for any and all mistakes you find.  
> \- The next chapter will be a while, probably. This weekend I'll be celebrating my birthday (yay!) but because of that I'll be quite busy and won't be able to write as much.
> 
> That being said, I do hope you'll like the little surprise at the end. I wasn't planning on going into this direction at first, it was too cliche and all that. But I feel like this is something that I can work with, so I hope you'll enjoy!

**Chapter 31: We all need someone to confide in  
  
** What the fuck had he been thinking? He actually gave her a kiss? It was on her cheek but, still. He had actually lowered his mask? Well, she did technically know what he looked like, thanks to that little brat of hers. But honestly, _what_ had he been thinking? Well, she had kissed him on the cheek right? So, surely it was okay for him to do the same. Of _course_ it wasn't okay for him to do that. _What had he been thinking?!  
  
_ He repeatedly hit his head against the door after he had closed it _and_ had been certain the pair of them had left. His mind in a constant battle with itself, providing answers _and_ arguments and truthfully it drove him insane. It all came back to that single question. And the scariest part was that he didn't know.   
  
When she had given him the scarf, he didn't know what to think. The only other scarf he'd ever worn was his mother's. He wasn't sure why he told her he'd lost it. He _had_ but there was a good chance it was somewhere in this house, or maybe his apartment, which he still needed to clear out, he reminded himself.   
  
That would have to wait until he got back from his mission. Kakashi knew he hadn't worn it on a mission, so the only other explanation was that it was still around somewhere. Moving away from the door, he glanced at the clock. He should get some sleep. He was meeting his team early in the morning, to make good time.   
  
Kakashi made his way to his bedroom. As he entered, he was once again confronted with his decision to take Hermione's old pillow from her room. Why it had calmed and comforted him as much as it had, he didn't know. Being as close to her as he had been yesterday, showed him that his senses went in overdrive. He could pick up every little thing. Her scent, her heartbeat.   
  
Shaking his head, he undressed himself, walking to the bathroom to brush his teeth. After having done that, he left the bathroom, not sparing himself another glance, before crawling under the covers. Once again, he ignored the voice in his head telling him it wasn't all that normal that he buried his face in Hermione's pillow.   
  
He needed a clear mind before he started analysing his thoughts. And his mind was anything _but_ clear at the moment. So this, just like everything else, would just have to wait until he got back from the mission.   
  
The next morning, he quickly got dressed in his Anbu gear. Strapping his tanto to his back, he left the bedroom. The scarf Hermione had given him hung over the back of one of the chairs in the kitchen. The moment it caught his eye, he paused. She had said that if he wore it, it would be concealed, hadn't she? No one would know, but him.   
  
Kakashi wasn't sure he should believe that, but it couldn't hurt to try it out. If it turned out that his team would notice, he could just take it off again, claiming he brought it for the cold weather they were heading towards. With a shrug, he draped the scarf around his neck. It was surprisingly light and thin and didn't feel warm at the moment. Honestly, it didn't feel special at all.   
  
Glancing at the clock, Kakashi decided it was about time to meet his team at the Anbu facility. He would have to speak to them regarding the change in their team, with Genma now off the team for the time being. He figured they knew _something_ would happen, which would make it a bit easier to explain. While he hadn't heard anything from the Hokage yet, he assumed a new team member would be assigned soon. For now, they would have to do with just the four of them.  
  
As he neared the facility, he changed direction towards one of the fields nearby. With a short pulse of his chakra, he alerted his team of his arrival. A short moment later, he sensed them follow his lead. Good.   
  
"Captain," Yugao greeted, as she appeared in front of him.   
  
"Rabbit." He said with a nod. A second later both Tenzou and Shisui appeared next to her.   
  
"Good, you're all here." He started. "You've read the mission scroll?"   
  
All three of them nodded, "okay, good. I'll get straight to business. Bear is, as of now, temporarily removed from this team. I'm not certain when or if he will ever return to this team. For now, it's just the four of us, so we'll go over new team formations in a bit. Any questions?"  
  
"Does this mean we'll stay a four-man team?" Shisui asked.  
  
"There is a chance someone else will be assigned to our team, but I won't know until we get back." Kakashi clarified. "Anything else? No? Good, let's go over the formations then."  
  
Luckily his team was flexible enough and it took less than five minutes to go over the new formations. If anything changed during the travelling, they'd deal with it then. For now, this would be enough.   
  
After running a quick check on their packs, they took off. The trip towards their destination would take about four days, if they were lucky. For now they were going towards Iron, but they might have to divert towards Waterfall. The communication between Fire and Iron was tense, the samurai never were a big fan of the shinobi. If they were to get caught there, it could be disastrous for Konoha. The last he heard was that their relation with Iron was pretty tense, especially since the war. While Iron took no part in it, they did have to deal with the aftermath.   
  
Yeah, it was probably best to avoid Iron for now. Waterfall would be safer and easier to navigate. The boat trip they'd have to take would be quite a bit longer, but it would be easier to remain unseen there. And this mission relied solely on them not getting found out. Steering his team slightly to the left, he set course to Waterfall.   
  
After running non-stop for a good ten hours, he signalled the team to stop for a short break. They were almost halfway towards the border of the Fire country. With the speed they were going, Kakashi expected they'd arrive there within twelve hours for sure.   
  
Landing next to Tenzou, he ordered Shisui and Yugao to check their surroundings to make sure it was safe to stay there a little while. After finding nothing suspicious, they all sat down. Kakashi leaned against a tree, not feeling like sitting down. A good ten minutes later, he noticed Tenzou coming up to him, looking nervous.   
  
"Senpai," Tenzou started, somewhat hesitant. "I- uh, how are you?"   
  
He turned to his kohai in surprise, which luckily wasn’t visible due to his Anbu-mask, cocking his head, "how am I?" He asked.  
  
"W- yes, you know, because of- you know with Genma, and-"   
  
"Cat," Kakashi started. "Seriously? I'm fine. It's fine." Did he not seem fine? Because he felt fine. More than fine. He was actually well rested for once. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt _this_ rested before a mission.  
  
From the way Tenzou held himself and the way he was staring at him, he didn't seem to believe Kakashi. Which was stupid, because he really _was_ fine. With every minute that passed, he wondered how that was possible. Never having thought that a single talk could do something like this. Okay, stop it Kakashi. Focus on the mission, he told himself.   
  
"Five more minutes," he then called out to his team.   
  
They only have time for a short break. In the distance, he could see Yugao and Shisui hold up a hand in acknowledgement. It would be another day before they would have to change in something warmer, but admittedly he felt no discomfort at the moment. Usually around this time of year, it was still fairly warm in their country and running as long as they had, with the sun, was bound to create some discomfort. Thinking about it, he hadn't felt anything like that during their travels up until now. Interesting. He hadn’t believed Hermione when she had said the scarf would be able to keep him comfortable. Now, it seemed, there was one more thing he would be thanking her for.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Every time she thought back to Kakashi kissing her cheek, she could feel a blush appear on her face. She was also certain that her heart was beating so fast, Inoichi was bound to hear it. Hermione just couldn’t figure out _why_ he had done that. What did this mean? Did this mean he would want more than just friendship? Was he messing with her? _Was_ this just a joke? She didn’t know anymore. Her mind was going around in circles, she’d have to talk to someone about this or she would burst.  
  
Hermione knew Inoichi knew. Or, well, he knew something had happened. He kept looking at her with a smirk on his face, making her want to jinx him. A nice tickling charm would do the trick too, no doubt. She didn’t think that would be a good idea, seeing as she was still on probation, obviously. Which reminded her; she had a meeting with the Hokage today. Which meant… she should probably get up now.  
  
Sitting up, she noticed Teddy was still in bed, surprising her. She had thought it was quite a bit later, for sure. “Good morning, bub. Did you sleep well?” She softly asked as she noticed Teddy’s eyes were open.  
  
“Mama,” he said with a yawn, causing her to stop in her tracks as she was getting dressed. This was new. She had barely gotten used to him calling her ‘Mamai’, but now it was ‘Mama’? Her heart sped up again, but for a different reason than it had only five minutes ago. He called her ‘Mama’.   
  
“Mama,” he said again, reaching out for her sleepily.   
  
“Yes, yes, Mama is here.” She said with a shaking voice. Do not cry, Hermione. Keep it together. “Let’s get you dressed, okay? We can go get some breakfast then. We’ve got an important meeting with the Hokage after that,” she said as she busied herself with getting him dressed.  
  
Once downstairs, she found a note from Inoichi explaining that something had come up and that he wouldn’t be able to take her to the Hokage’s Tower. She knew the way, that wasn’t the issue, but she knew she wasn’t allowed to go out on her own, especially not after her getting kidnapped. Surely there would be an Anbu, right? It would probably be best to call out to the Anbu to make sure. Otherwise she’d just have to apparate to the Tower, but she could imagine them not being too happy about that.  
  
After having breakfast, she stepped outside into the backyard. _“Anbu-san?”_ She called out.   
  
It took a while before she got a response, longer than it usually would. Hermione was about to go back inside, this time seriously considering apparating with Teddy, when she heard a soft, _“Ma’am?”_   
  
She quickly turned around, noticing a small figure in front of her. Was this- Was this one still a child?! _“D-did you- What?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“You called out, yes?”_ A soft voice stated. This was definitely a child. But a boy, or a girl? She wasn’t sure. The way he held himself, she suspected male, though. _  
_ _  
_ _“I- yes. Um, I- Sorry. I wasn’t expecting-”_ She stammered. She didn’t want to insult him or anything, but honestly, how was she supposed to deal with this?  
  
He didn’t respond to her, making her let out a sigh in relief. She really didn’t want to insult him, and prayed that she hadn’t. _“Um, right. So, Inoichi-san isn’t able to take me to the Hokage Tower and I’m not supposed to go alone,”_ she started explaining.  
  
 _“You know the way, yes?”_   
  
_“Yes, I do.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“I’ll be there. I’ll make sure you’ll get there safely.”_ That was a relief as well. But his wording meant that he wasn’t going to be walking with her.   
  
_“Okay, good to know. I’ll go get ready then.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Of course.”_ Was all he said before he disappeared again.  
  
She went back inside, making sure Teddy was ready to go as well. Looking at the clock, she had a good hour to get to the tower, knowing it was only about half an hour to get there. This was fine, really. Inoichi’s wife had mentioned Teddy wanting to walk himself, so she took that into account as well. She just hoped that the Anbu wouldn’t mind the slow trek to the Tower.  
  
Walking out the front door, Teddy in tow, she made her way towards the Hokage Tower. She had to stop every step or two, making sure Teddy was following along without falling. “That’s it, Teddy! Good job!” She cheered softly, making him squeal and clap his hands. “Come on, we don’t want to be late, now do we?”  
  
“Mama!” Teddy called out as he followed, almost falling down a few times. She was proud to see he found his balance quickly, especially thinking on how Tonks was _always_ tripping. He definitely took after Remus in that case, she thought with a small smile.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
When she arrived at the tower, she still had some time to spare, surprisingly. Picking Teddy up, she started climbing the stairs. Halfway to the office, the Anbu she had seen before appeared next to her. She looked at him in surprise, not expecting him to show himself. The others never did when she went in for her meeting with the Hokage.  
  
Arriving at the door, the Anbu turned to her, _“please wait here.”_ He said before knocking and entering as he was called in, leaving Hermione and Teddy in the hallway.  
  
“Well, alright then,” Hermione huffed as she took a seat, placing Teddy in her lap. “We’ll just wait out here, then.” She said cooing, holding his hands in hers.   
  
A few minutes later the door opened, showing the Anbu. _“You can go in now.”_ He said softly, as he held the door open for her.  
  
 _“Thanks.”  
  
_ “Good morning, Hermione-san,” The Sandaime smiled at her. “How are you doing today?”  
 _  
_Hermione sat down as she thought about his question. She didn’t know how a simple question like that could mess up her mind. All the events of the past few days whirled around in her head and she didn’t really know _how_ to answer this question. A blush appeared on her cheeks again, which she immediately willed away, scared that the Hokage would notice. Which of course he did, she could see the twinkle in his eye as he waited for her to answer.  
  
“I’m- I don’t know.” She ended up saying. Hermione really didn’t know how she was. Confused, anxious, annoyed and so many other things.  
  
The Hokage stayed quiet for a moment, yet she could feel his eyes on her. She was hoping he would start the conversation again. He didn’t. Hermione bit her lip, should she mention it to the Hokage? Surely he already knows about what had happened at Kakashi’s home, with Genma. But really, she needed someone to talk to and while she felt comfortable around Inoichi and his wife, she didn’t know who to talk to about this.   
  
“Kakashi kissed me.” She blurted out. Shit, she had not meant to blurt that out. You’re an idiot, Hermione, she thought.  
  
The Hokage’s eyebrows both went up considerably. “I’m sorry?”  
  
“That came out wrong. I mean, he did. But- Just on the cheek, honestly. Not- Oh Merlin, I should’ve kept my mouth shut. Damn it.” She buried her face in her hands, feeling embarrassed. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt _this_ embarrassed. Why was she spilling all of this? And to the Hokage of all people? She wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole. There was no way she could look at him now.  
  
“Hermione-san?”  
  
Hermione shook her head, face still in her hands. She felt a small poke on her hand. “Mama?” Teddy asked, causing her to peek down. Two big brown eyes looked up at her in wonder. “Mama hurt?”  
  
“No! No, sweetie. I’m not hurt, just- It’s nothing.” She said smiling down at him. She took a deep breath before looking up at the Sandaime, who had a smile on his face, looking amused. Of course he did. “Look, sir. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have-”  
  
“Hush, child.” He said, holding up his hand. “How about you start at the beginning, hm?”  
  
Hermione opened her mouth, but closed it again. ‘The beginning’ was such a vague term when it came to this. “I guess... Well. After the incident with Genma-san,” she started. “I talked to Kakashi. And well-”  
  
“Kakashi, you say? Just Kakashi?” Hermione did not trust the glint in his eye. This man was enjoying this way more than he should.  
  
“Yes?” She said slowly.  
  
“Last time we spoke, he was still ‘Kakashi-san’ to you. Something changed?”  
  
“I- yes.” This time it was just one eyebrow that was raised. In question, instead of surprise. “After that incident, Kakashi told me about his past.” She continued. “He told me about the things Genma-san had meant when he- Well, I’m sure you know.” She said with a wave of her hand.  
  
“Anyways, as a belated birthday gift, I made him a scarf, which I brought to him last night. It was then he said that I should drop the suffix.” Hermione clarified. “It was also then that he- well, he was thanking me, he said. But I- Merlin, I’m just so _confused_.” She groaned, again putting her face in her hands. “I’m so sorry for this. I usually have better control of myself.”  
  
“Don’t apologise. I can tell this has been bothering you. You need someone to confide in.”  
  
“Yes. In any other situation, I’d talk to my friends about this. We both know I can’t now. It’s not that I don’t have friends here, it’s just-”  
  
“It’s not the same. I completely understand, Hermione-san.”  
  
“It’s hard sometimes.” Hermione confessed. “I miss them. I miss my friends. My home.” It was one of the few things she missed. While she knew there was nothing either of them could do about it, not until they figured out how the Death Eaters had gotten her here to begin with.  
  
“That’s completely understandable. I’m sure this hasn’t been easy for you.”  
  
“No it hasn’t.” She agreed. “Any news on how to get me back home?” It was a question she had asked every single time she had a meeting with the Hokage, but up until now there wasn’t anything they could use. She had offered to help check it out but, understandably, they were hesitant in letting her do so.  
  
“Not yet, I’m afraid. Although, I did come up with a possible solution for you to check in on your friends.” As the Hokage said this, Hermione said up straight, her attention completely focused on him.  
  
“To check in on my friends? How?”  
  
She watched as the older man opened a drawer in his desk and put a ball on his desk, on a cushion. He was joking, right? She had to hold back a groan at the sight of it. A crystal ball? There was a reason she had dropped Divination when she could. You needed a natural ability to use it. One she did not possess. Hermione knew there were seers and that what they could do was quite exceptional. But it wasn’t something one can learn.  
  
Surely he didn’t expect her to predict the future, right? She sure as hell didn’t hope so. “You look sceptical.” The Sandaime commented, as if reading her mind.  
  
“I’m not sceptical.” She said slowly. “I just don’t think it’s something just anyone can use. Especially not me.”  
  
“Oh? And why is that?”  
  
“Using a crystal ball to tell the future- it’s not that simple. It’s not something that can be taught. Either you can or you can’t and that’s it, really. And I can’t.”  
  
The man chuckled. “Fair enough,” he said. “Although I think this might be a different kind of crystal ball. This one doesn’t show me the future. It shows me the present.”  
  
Hermione frowned at that. Why would he use something like this to show the present? “That doesn’t make any sense.” She said.  
  
“No?” He said, cocking his head. “I think it makes perfect sense. It’s a very handy thing to have. Especially if you like to keep tabs on your village. Make sure there are no disturbances and all that, don’t you agree?”  
  
Well, explaining it like _that_ made it more logical to use something like this. She didn’t really know what to say though, so she settled on a shrug, causing him to smile in return.  
  
“Now, I know how to use this. I’m not entirely sure if you will be able to, since you don’t possess chakra. I’m willing to give it a shot, if you are?”  
  
“How would that work?”  
  
“How do you use your wand? You put your magic through it, correct?” Hermione nodded at the assumption. “I want you to try and do the same with the ball.”  
  
That didn’t seem so hard, did it? She moved forward, putting Teddy on the ground as he started squirming as well, getting impatient with just sitting on her lap. Hermione moved her hand towards the ball. “So I- do I just touch it? And then what?”  
  
“Focus on the people you want to find. Think of them when you’re concentrating your magic.”  
  
She did as he described, placing her hand on the ball, and closed her eyes as she focused her magic like she would her wand. She felt her magic come to life and opened her eyes expectantly. But she didn’t see anything. She looked up at the Hokage, who looked at the ball as well. He hummed in thought, but didn’t say anything else.  
  
Hermione tried it again, frustrated that it didn’t work the first time. This time she focused even more magic through her touch, scrunching her eyebrows. Then… “Merlin’s beard!” She called out. Something was showing. She moved closer to the ball, trying to get a better look, barely noticing the Hokage do the same. As soon as she got a better look of the image, she flinched, moving back as if her hand was burned.  
  
“Hermione-san?” He asked, concerned. “Are you alright? Do you know that man?”  
  
“I- this can’t be right.” She said. She then turned to the Sandaime. “You said it only shows the present. But he- It’s not possible.” Hermione shook her head. “It’s not possible. I watched him- No. This can’t be right.”  
  
“Hermione-san, please calm down.” He urged her. “You’re not making any sense.”  
  
“That man,” she said, pointing at the ball, unable to find the words she would need to properly explain all of this.  
  
“You know him.”   
  
“Yes. Yes, I know him. But this can’t be right, Hokage-sama. It’s not possible for him to be there. He’s- He died. Years ago, he died. He’s supposed to be dead, so how? I don’t get it.”  
  
“What’s his name?”  
  
“Sirius. His name is Sirius Black.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I did do it. I brought him back! The how and when and all that will be explained in later chapters, so don't worry!
> 
> Please leave a comment to let me know what you guys think.
> 
> Until next time! <3


	32. Unofficial Mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I had some spare time in between my birthday and anniversary with my lovely husband, so I figured I'd spoil you :') I'm sure none of you mind.
> 
> I know I keep saying this, but the next couple of weeks will be a bit hectic for me, so there's a _possibility_ that the following chapters will be a bit slower. But I like you guys, so that may not be the case xD
> 
> A big thanks to my friend lostindetail for helping me with ideas and all that. I appreciate it immensly! :D
> 
> Without further ado: enjoy!

**Chapter 32: Unofficial Mission  
  
  
** “Sirius Black?”   
  
“Yes, or well- Black Sirius, for you.” She responded, not really paying attention.   
  
Hermione still had to wrap her mind around what she had seen. How was this possible? She was there when he had died. When he had fallen into the veil. And it was known that whoever fell through it, had died. It was a one-way portal. This just wasn’t possible. Unless- No. There’s no way of knowing. Maybe it wasn’t him. Maybe it was someone who looked a lot like him. That’s possible right? That must be it, yes.   
  
“Hermione-san?” The Hokage’s voice brought her back to the present. She thought she heard him say something else as well, but didn’t fully understand what was being said to her. She looked up at him in confusion, not knowing what to think anymore.  
  
"Hm?"    
  
“I asked if Black-san was a potential threat in your eyes, like the men who came with you?”   
  
“Threat? Sirius? No!” She said, standing up suddenly. The Hokage, however, looked none too impressed by this action. “I mean, no. No, he’s not. He’s a friend. He’s my best friend’s godfather and- Blimey, he’s Teddy’s cousin too! Which means he’s family. So-”   
  
“Being family doesn’t mean he’s not a threat, however.” The man stated. And he was right of course.    
  
“I know. But, no. If that  _ is _ Sirius, then he’s no threat. I swear it.”   
  
The Hokage hummed at that, leaned back and seemed to be in deep thought for a moment. Hermione didn’t dare to say anything, her heart beating so hard she could hear it. Even Teddy seemed to understand something was happening that wasn’t all good. What would happen now? Would he believe her? Or would he think Sirius was a threat? If that even was him, she still wasn’t sure. But if it was... What did it mean?   
  
The suspense was killing her. She hated not knowing. Should she speak up? Hermione liked to think she was allowed to do as much, right? “Um, Hokage-sama?”    
  
“Ah yes, I apologise for that, Hermione-san. Let’s talk about your current situation first. Then I’ll decide how to go forward with your friend, if he is who you think he is, of course.” So he caught onto that, huh? Well, in all honesty, she would be the only one who would be able to tell if it was him, so she figured he’d keep her at least a little up to date about it. Hopefully.   
  
“Right.”   
  
“How is it going between you and Inoichi? I understand from him it’s going quite well, but I’d like you to tell me if it isn't.”   
  
She shook her head, “no, it’s going quite well, actually. Both him and his wife are incredibly kind and supportive. I really couldn’t have gotten a better family to stay with. Thank you again for making it possible.”   
  
“It’s a bit of an exception, for sure.” He said with a smile, “but it seems Inoichi has gotten quite fond of you as well.” Shuffling through the papers on his desk, he produced a folder, opening it. “Yesterday he actually came to inquire about an adoption process.” He looked up at her, meeting her gaze.   
  
“Yes, I mean. He mentioned it, asking if I ever considered adopting Teddy and well. Honestly, I hadn’t. Everything has been happening so fast and a part of me still expects Remus- But I also understand it would give me parental rights. Rights I would need in case anything were to happen.”   
  
“That is true, yes. I explained to him what the process was, but I don’t think he’s spoken to you yet?”   
  
“Not yet, no. I was quite busy with Shikaku-san yesterday and then the thing with Kakashi...”   
  
“I completely understand. I’ll tell you what I told Inoichi. At this time you would be able to adopt Teddy. You’ve been the only caretaker since the both of you arrived here, so you’re a logical choice. However, giving you parental rights, doesn’t automatically mean he’s safe in your care. Which means there has to be someone to vouch for you.”   
  
Hermione frowned at that. Of course Teddy was safe in her care. On the other hand, she could understand the rule that someone couldn’t just adopt a kid, without a safety net. “So, I need to find someone who will vouch for me?”   
  
“Yes, someone who will vouch for you and who will be able to take care of Teddy, in case something happens to you.”    
  
She nodded slowly, taking in the information he was giving her. Biting her lip, she went over all the people who would be able to vouch for her and honestly, it wasn’t a long list. The first person coming to mind would be Inoichi and his family, but she doubted they were jumping at the chance to take in another kid.  _ And  _ her. She wasn’t a kid anymore, but she was still dependent on them. She hated being a burden, so she didn’t want to do so anymore than she already had.   
  
“Okay, I’ll have to see what I can do about that then. Because I really do want to adopt Teddy.”   
  
“Of course,” he said with a smile. Maybe try and talk to Inoichi about this, hm?”   
  
“Yes, I’ll definitely do that. Thank you.”   
  
“As for Kakashi-” The moment he said his name, the blush was back on her cheeks. “Do you want to talk about that some more?”   
  
“No!” She squeaked. She definitely didn’t. Hermione had already said way too much on that subject. It did help to blurt it out, but she’ll just have to take some time to think that through. She could do that.   
  
“Very well, then. I’m afraid the meeting next week will have to be postponed, but I’ll see you the week after that, alright?”   
  
“Sure,” Hermione replied. “But, what about-”   
  
“Ah yes, I’ll make sure you’ll be informed of that. If he turns out to be like you.”   
  
“Of course, thank you, Hokage-sama.” She said, standing up and picking Teddy up as she did so. “Enjoy the rest of your day.”   
  
“You too, Hermione-san. Thank you. Dismissed.”   
  
  
  
-   
  
  
  
All in all, it took them five full days to get to their destination. It had taken considerably longer than he had expected, all due to the weather when they crossed Aisu Bay. While they were on the boat, Kakashi explained the full mission to them, disclosing the parts that weren’t disclosed to them before. It was anything but simple. They were hired by Asama Sandayuu, who was the personal bodyguard of the Princess of the Land of Snow, Kazahana Koyuki. There were concerns of her being a target ever since her father was murdered. Their mission was to get her out of the country. Which meant they had to tread  _ very _ carefully. Any connection to Konoha could start up a new war, no doubt.   
  
Since Kakashi was too recognisable with his hair, Tenzou would take up the role of portraying a bodyguard so that he could meet with Sandayuu. Tenzou then would report back to him, while Yugao, Shisui and himself would patrol the area to make sure they could make a quick and quiet getaway. He rolled his eyes and held back a sigh as he heard Shisui whine about the cold for the umpteenth time that day. Yugao had been smart to keep her mouth shut, but she too struggled with dealing with the weather. There was no complaint coming from him. And he knew why. But he wasn’t about to tell them about it. He would keep it to himself for the time being. It would only cause them to whine even more. Plus it would do Kakashi some good to not think about her. He needed to keep his head in the game.   
  
After spending a few hours in the cold, Tenzou met up with them a few miles outside of the castle. “Report, Tenzou.” There was no need for codenames as none of them were wearing their masks. Well, not their Anbu masks. It would draw too much attention to them if one of them was spotted.   
  
“I spoke with Asama-san. He’s the head bodyguard of the princess. They want to get her out of the country as fast as possible. He was hesitant but I convinced him to wait at least another day, for us to come up with a better plan so that they don’t get caught. Because the plan they had now was bound to get them all killed.”   
  
“Good. How many are we dealing with?” Kakashi asked, purposely ignoring the look Tenzou threw at him as his kohai noticed both Shisui and Yugao shivering, fighting their hardest against the tremors of their bodies, as Kakashi just stood there without a care in the world.   
  
“Six. The princess and five bodyguards, including Asama-san.”   
  
Six, damn. It’s not impossible but with only four of them, it sure made it harder. They’d have to make sure they had a clear way out, that none of Kazahana Dotou’s people, who was the princess’ uncle, noticed them and that they could leave the country without any issues. While they had a clear plan, there were too many variables to make it a simple in-and-out mission.   
  
Then again, sometimes you just had to plan for a simple mission like that and hope for the best. While there was a lot at stake here, Kakashi was tempted to just treat it like that. Especially when the head bodyguard was hesitant to follow their plan. Honestly, their main objective was to get the princess out. It wasn’t mentioned in the mission that the guards needed to get out too. Of course, if all the guards died, they’d have to find someone to take care of her. At fourteen, he doubted she would have the skills to take care of herself, living the life she has lived up until now.   
  
“The princess is our priority,” he stated. “While in the best case scenario, we’ll get them all out. We can’t make any guarantees. Asama-san needs to be aware of that.”   
  
Tenzou nodded at that. “I’ll make sure he knows. But after speaking with him, I think he’ll agree with you. I’m just not sure if the rest agrees as well.”   
  
“That’s up to Asama-san. It’s his staff.”   
  
“Agreed. I’ll head back there now, to relay your message. What time do you want to go?”   
  
“Midnight tomorrow night. That’ll give everyone a night to rest up and make arrangements. Don’t get caught.” Kakashi warned.   
  
“Of course. See you tomorrow, senpai.” Giving a nod to Shisui and Yugao as well. “Make sure to stay warm.” He turned to walk away, when Shisui spoke up.   
  
“Pff, easy for you to say. You get to spend your time in a nice warm castle. Lucky bastard.” Shisui grumbled.   
  
“Speaking of, how come you’re not cold, captain?” Yugao asked suspiciously, turning to Kakashi.   
  
He, in turn, shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”   
  
“Cut the bullshit, captain. It’s not possible for you not to be as cold as we are.” Shisui accused.   
  
“Just because I thought to bring warm clothes, doesn’t mean-”   
  
“Senpai, they have a point. This entire journey you’ve been as comfortable as can be. What’s up with that?”   
  
Kakashi groaned internally. If only Shisui and Yugao would have mentioned this  _ after  _ Tenzou had left. He could easily deal with those two, but Tenzou knew him too well for him to just bullshit his way out of it. He knew it was best to just give in straight away. His way, of course, “I have a scarf that keeps me warm.”   
  
For a moment none of them said anything, they just stared at him. He could see Tenzou getting annoyed with his vague answer, because wasn’t that what he always did? It made him crack a smile. If they were going to demand answers from him, he might as well have some fun. Yugao always managed to keep her temper down. Shisui however, didn’t. Not like that at least. Not in these kinds of situations. No. Out of all of them, Shisui would break first. Then Tenzou.    
  
“Captaaain,” Shisui groaned. Called it, Kakashi though. “What, you think we’re stupid? You’re not wearing a damn scarf. So cut the bullshit.”   
  
Not wearing a scarf? “Of course I’m-”  _ It’s charmed. If you wear it, only you will know about it.  _ Hermione’s voice rang through his head. She hadn’t been lying about that either then. Because he  _ was _ wearing the scarf, it’s what kept him warm. But none of them seemed to be able to see it. He looked down, glancing at the scarf that was wrapped around his neck. “I’ll be damned.”   
  
“Senpai?”   
  
“I am wearing a scarf,” Kakashi answered. “You just can’t see it as long as I’m wearing it.” He put his hands up, pulling the scarf from his neck. The moment he did, his entire team gaped at him.    
  
“What the actual-”   
  
“How the f-”   
  
“How’s that possible?” Out of the responses, he wasn’t surprised that Tenzou was the most calm. “You weren’t wearing a scarf just now, but-” It seemed this was too much to simply understand for even Tenzou.   
  
“It’s a gift.” He clarified to his team. “From Hermione.”   
  
Again, he was met with silence. What was it with his team? Did the cold get to them? Did it slow down their minds? They know Hermione can do magic. Is it really that far-fetched that she’s able to produce a scarf that can do this? Geez, he thought as he wrapped the scarf back around his neck. He had to admit, he was rather enjoying the comfort it provided.   
  
“You got a gift… From ‘Hermione’?” He knew his team well enough to know whatever Shisui was thinking wasn’t good. He did  _ not _ trust the look in his eye. “Not Hermione-san? Just Hermione?” Oh, damn it.    
  
“Yeah, what’s up with that?” Yugao commented, raising an eyebrow.   
  
“It’s none of your business. You wanted to know why I wasn’t as cold,” not cold at all, he amended in his mind. “I told you why. Now, Tenzou, get back to the castle and tell Asama-san our plan. The rest of us, we’ll find a place to stay for the night. Let’s go.”   
  
Tenzou seemed all too happy to leave the three of them in the cold and head back to the castle. “Understood. Again, I’ll see you tomorrow at midnight.” With a nod from Kakashi, he left.   
  
“I don’t want to hear a word from the two of you about this. We’re going to find a place to stay, to get out of this cold. And even then, I don’t want to hear it.” He ignored any and all complaints from the pair of them and set out to one of the small towns nearby.    
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione sat nervously in the hallway of the Hokage Tower, tapping her foot on the floor. Half an hour ago, she had gotten a message to come and report to the Hokage, but she wasn’t told what about. Inoichi’s wife had taken Teddy with her, so she had nothing to keep herself busy with either. Not that her mind wasn’t whirling with the conversation she had had earlier that week.   
  
Flashback earlier that week:   
  
_ After the meeting with the Hokage, she went back home. Inoichi sat at the kitchen table. Waiting for her to come back, if the extra cup of tea was anything to go by. “ _ Did your meeting go well?” _ He asked. _ _   
_   
“Yes, quite, thank you.” _ She replied, happy that he was challenging her to speak their language again. With the last subject fresh on her mind, she decided she might as well ask Inoichi about the adoption process straight away.  _ “I did have a question, however. About adopting Teddy?” _ She glanced at the boy who was happily crawling around the living room behind her. _ _   
_ _   
_ “Of course, what do you want to know?”   
  
“Well, he said that I would need to get someone to vouch for me, before I’d be able to adopt Teddy? As a safety-net?”    
  
_ She waited as he processed what she had asked. His face didn’t betray a single thought and she didn’t know what to think of it. All this time, he’d been very open. She always had some sort of idea what he was thinking, but seeing him now, proved to her that he only showed her what he wanted her to see. _ _   
  
_ _ As she waited for his answer, Inoichi’s wife came home as well. With a quick murmur from Inoichi - she couldn’t understand what was being said - she sat down at the table as well. This only served to make Hermione even more nervous. What did this mean? Did it mean that they wouldn’t help her? That it was fun while it lasted, but they weren’t going to allow her to stay any longer, sending her off to find someone else to help her? _ _   
_ _   
_ “Hermione,” _ Inoichi started, forgoing the suffix, which confused her even more. What in Merlin’s name did  _ that _ mean?  _ “We know you haven’t had the easiest time here. And you haven’t been staying with us that long. While I’d like to think we’ve gotten to know each other a bit, there’s still a lot to learn.”    
_   
_ _ This was it. He was just being nice, breaking it to her slowly. She was going to be homeless after this, wasn’t she?  _ _   
_ _   
_ “And by no means are we trying to replace your parents. Not in any way, shape or form.” _   
_ _   
_ _ This… wasn’t something one usually said when you let them down, was it? Replace her parents? What did he mean by that?  _ _   
_ _   
_ “But, my wife and I have been discussing it. And, if you’ll let us, and if you want to... We would like to permanently take you in. Make you a member of our family. Again, this is totally up to you. I understand if you don’t feel comfortable enough to accept our offer. It’s completely fine if you decide against it. It’s  _ your  _ choice.” _   
_ _   
_ _ Hermione didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know what to  _ think _. Did they- Did this mean they wanted to adopt  _ her _?  _ _   
_ _   
_ “I-” _ Nothing else came out. So many questions came and went from her mind. There was one question that kept coming back to her, however. The only question she could bring herself to say out loud.  _ “Why?” _   
_ _   
_ _ Both Yamanakas smiled at her question.  _ “Now, that’s an easy question to answer. We’ve grown quite fond of you. Why wouldn’t we want you to be a part of our family? I already think of you as if you were my little sister,” _ he joked.  _ “Also, I don’t think Ino-chan would forgive us if we didn’t offer this.” _ Hermione cracked a smile at that. He was  _ so _ right about that. She had her dad wrapped all around her little finger. _ _   
_ _   
_ “And Teddy, of course.” _ Inoichi added.  _ “This concerns him too. With this, you’ll be able to adopt him, and in turn both of you will become part of our family. You’ll both be protected by our family name, by our clan.” _ Inoichi looked at his wife, grabbing her hand, before looking back at Hermione.  _ “What do you think?” _   
_ _   
_ _ This answer came to her as quickly as the one regarding the adoption of Teddy.  _ “Yes.” _ Tears appeared in her eyes, a few escaping as they fell down her cheeks as she suddenly stood. Surprising the pair in front of her with her actions, making them stand up as well, she moved around the table. In a few quick steps, she bounded towards them, throwing her arms around them both.  _ “Yes, I’d love to.” _   
_ _   
_ End of flashback   
  
Hermione had to blink away the tears that threatened to spill again at the thought. She still couldn’t believe it. Didn't think that after her parents were taken from her, she'd have a family again this soon. Right after their talk, they had filed the paperwork in order to make all of this official. It had been a bit more complicated than just filling in a simple form and filing it, though. Because she was being taken in by Inoich’s clan, she would officially be seen as a Yamanaka. Which meant they had to make her first name more local as well.    
  
It had actually been Ino who had commented on that, that girl was much smarter than she had realised. And a whole lot more observant. She offhandedly said that since Hermione was going to be her big sister now, she was going to be the one to come up with a name. But then she just had to make Hermione’s heart melt and say that she had gotten the idea from Teddy and that Hermione was going to be named “Mai” from now on. She refused to call her anything other than ‘Mai-onee-chan’, almost throwing a tantrum when Inoichi mentioned that it was up to Hermione.   
  
After that, they also had to think of a new name for Teddy, well, a local name. Not new. To her, he'd always be Teddy. But he would need a name to be able to fit in more. For protection. She ended up deciding on 'Takeshi'. It was a name she had heard about in the past few weeks, and felt it was something that fit him.   
  
Hermione was brought out of her musings when the door to her left opened and revealed the Hokage's secretary. Or, that's what she dubbed her in her mind, seeing that whenever she saw the woman, she was carrying some paperwork for him to sign.  _ "He will see you now,"  _ she said in a flat, professional voice. With a nod, she stood up and walked into the office, closing the door behind her. It wasn't until she turned to face the Hokage, she noticed she wasn't alone with him.   
  
In front of her, three other figures stood. They had been facing the Hokage but turned to look at her as she entered. One of them was a young boy, no older than 12 if she guessed right. He had long black hair, with bangs that framed his face. The other two, she recognised. One was Kakashi's friend, the enthusiastic one with the green jumpsuit. His name was Gai, if she remembered correctly. She was happy she would now be able to properly talk with him and hopefully understand what he was saying. The last one she knew all too well. Genma looked at her with an unfamiliar look on his face. He didn't meet her eyes, which was just as well. She was still quite a bit angry at him for what he had said and done to Kakashi.   
  
_ "Hermione-san, thank you for coming on such a short notice."  
  
_ _ "Of course, Hokage-sama."  _ She replied politely, as she moved forward. Stopping next to Genma.   
  
_ "I've already informed these three, but I'll briefly explain it to you as well. It's regarding the man we spoke about earlier."  
  
_ That got her attention immediately. She wasn't sure what he was about to explain, but if it concerned the man that looked like Sirius, she was all for getting as much information as she could.   
  
_ "I'm sending you on an unofficial mission."  _ _   
_ _   
_ Hold on. Mission? She was being sent on a mission? Was he crazy?  _   
_ _   
_ _ "This will be off the books, but necessary. We need to assess if this man is a threat. And in order to do so, we need you. If he's like you, I fear you would be the only one to be able to get him to speak with us without feeling threatened. This mission will take several days. I've made sure Inoichi is aware of the situation. He'll take care of Teddy for you."  
  
_ _ "Of course, Hokage-sama. I understand."  _ She said. And she did. Hermione knew like no other that any shinobi would easily be able to overpower any wizard. But that didn't mean he wouldn't be able to do any damage  _ before _ they could overpower him. Also, she would be lying if she said that she didn't really want to know who he was. Hermione was very curious by nature, so she just  _ had _ to know. And it was good to know Teddy would be in good hands.   
  
_ “You’ll be a team of four. Hermione-san, you already know Genma,”  _ the Hokage said to her, Hermione nodded in acknowledgement.  _ “The other two are Maito Gai and Uchiha Itachi.”  _ He said, pointing to the other two. She gave both of them a nod as well. Itachi nodded in return, Gai gave her a thumbs up, combined with a dazzling smile. Still very enthusiastic then, she thought to herself with a small smile.  
  
_ "I want you to leave as soon as possible, so you would need to pack a bag straight away, Hermione-san. They will take you back to your house so that you can do that. They'll also inform you of the mission in itself. Itachi will take the lead on this. You're to follow his orders."  _ The Sandaime said, nodding at Itachi. Hermione followed his gaze, looking at the young teen.  _ He _ would lead this mission? Wasn’t he too young to do so? _ "Also, Hermione-san. Please keep in mind that this doesn’t mean you’re not on probation anymore. Break any of the rules and you will regret it. All three of them are aware of it and they will respond accordingly. Dismissed."   
  
_ The three men turned to leave the office, Hermione closely behind. While it hurt to hear the Hokage threaten her, she knew he was right. She had only been here for a short couple of months after all. Nowhere near long enough for them to completely trust her, even if Inoichi offered to officially take her in. She would have to prove to them they  _ could _ trust her. That she had no reason whatsoever to do any of them harm. No intention either.   
  
Once they were in the hallway. Genma turned to her. With a blank face, he held out a hand. She gave him a look, before grabbing his hand. A second later she stood in front of her home. Neither spoke a word as she opened the front door and stepped inside. She heard Genma and the other two silently follow her as she made her way to her room to pack her bag. Moving around the room, she noticed them standing almost awkwardly in the door opening, watching her.   
  
While the boy- Itachi, she reminded herself- and Gai didn't seem to be bothered by the fact that they had to wait for her to be done, the same couldn't be said about Genma, if the hard look he was giving her was anything to go by.  
  
_ "Just speak what's on your mind, Genma-san."  _ She said with a sigh, breaking their silence.   
  
_ "I've got nothing to say."  _ He replied stiffly.   
  
She paused in her movements, before turning towards him. Placing her hands on her hips, she gave him a hard look.  _ "You and I both know that's not true. Besides, you had plenty to say to Kakashi the other day."  _ She challenged him.  _ "I'm not sure in what universe it would be considered that you’ve got nothing to say after you've told a friend he should just kill himself." _ As she said this, she could feel herself get angry once again, barely noticing the other two react as she watched Genma flinch.   
  
He didn't say anything to that, just shrugged awkwardly. After a moment he finally noticed she wasn't going to continue packing, letting out a sigh.  _ "Look, I know what I said was stupid-"  
  
_ _ "Stupid?"  _ She called out.  _ "It was downright disrespectful and hurtful what you did!"   
  
_ _ "Granger-san,"  _ the boy said in a soft voice, interrupting her, successfully turning her attention to him.  _ "Please refrain from hurting Shiranui-san."  _ He said.    
  
There really wasn’t any emotion visible on his face as he said this. She wasn't sure what he had meant, until she followed his line of sight and looked down at her hand, which was holding her wand tightly. Oh. She hadn't even realised that she had grabbed her wand. Muttering a 'sorry', she put it away, feeling somewhat embarrassed it had gotten to that point. Giving Genma a hard look, she went back to packing. He better not think she was done with him.  
  
Once she had packed everything she would need, she could almost taste the tension in the air. Genma wouldn't meet her gaze, which made perfect sense to her. Gai looked… Off. The few times she had met him, he seemed impossibly cheerful. Him looking as serious as he did, made her uncertain of what she could expect of him. The young teen just looked curious and wary at the same time, while also schooling his expression from them. It was just the way he looked at her.    
  
Whenever his gaze dropped to the small bag in her hand, she could see him trying to figure out how that many items fit in there. She had to hold back a grin at that. If only he knew, she thought. But he also seemed to keep a close eye on her as well, no doubt wary about her abilities. She wasn't sure to which extent he was told about what she could do. Either way, she would probably have to inform him about it.    
  
_ “I’m done.”  _ She stated,    
  
With that, Itachi met her gaze, with a raised eyebrow as he eyed the bag in her hand. A moment later he nodded.  _ “Good. Let’s get going.”  _ _   
_ _   
_ It surprised her how easily Gai and Genma followed his lead, while being considerably older than the teen. She had to admit, she was fairly hesitant in simply following his order. He looked like a first year Hogwarts student for Merlin’s sake. He was still a child! She then remembered herself, Harry and Ron and the things they had witnessed and dealt with at their age, knowing they were far less equipped to deal with all of that then Itachi probably was. She also knew the Hokage wouldn’t have appointed him as the team leader if he wasn’t able to handle it. It just didn’t mean she didn’t have doubts.    
  
Hermione looked at Itachi as he was the one to offer his hand to transport her from the home this time around. They appeared near the gates, just inside of Konoha. Genma and Gai appeared behind them, both ready to go. Hermione wasn’t sure what to expect. The two times she had left the village, both ended up with her getting attacked. Never had she thought she would be allowed to leave like this, even if it was to find out of one her friends had appeared in the same world she had.   
  
_ “We should go, Granger-san. I’d like to get there before nightfall tomorrow.”  _ Itachi spoke up. She quickly nodded and started walking towards them, while clutching the bag she had slung over her shoulder. A mission. How exhilarating, she thought, a smile forming on her lips. Hermione hadn’t felt this kind of adrenaline since she had been Horcrux hunting with Harry and Ron. It was going to be a new kind of adventure, she was sure. She easily fell in step with the others, following them to whatever place it was they were going. A mission, she thought again, feeling giddy. She could get used to this.   
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments make my day! So, let me know what you guys think in the comments! :D
> 
> Until next time xx


	33. Travels

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> Time for another chapter :D  
> Not much to add, besides the usual 'don't mind the mistakes' and all that. 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy!

**Chapter 33: Travels** **  
** **  
** **  
**While Kakashi had expected Shisui and Yugao to ask him a few more questions about the gift he had received from Hermione, he hadn’t expected them to start asking about his gift to her.  
  
“So, what are you going to get her? Did you think of anything yet?” Shisui asked enthusiastically once they had gotten comfortable in their room at the inn they had found. He sat down at the edge of the bed, looking at Kakashi.  
  
Yugao stepped out of the bathroom just as he asked the question. “Shi, stop harassing him.”  
  
“I’m not harassing him!” The Uchiha argued. “I’m simply asking if he has gotten her anything yet. It’s the least you can do, since you’re gonna miss her birthday!”  
  
“How do you know when her birthday is?” Kakashi asked, now suspicious.  
  
“Eh, she told me?”  
  
“You’ve never spoken with her.” He turned towards the Uchiha, crossing his arms. “So, how did you know?”  
  
“Ah, well. Someone may have mentioned it?” Shisui ended the sentence in a question as if not certain of his answer. Which was ridiculous. Who else would-  
  
“Son of a bitch.”  
  
“Captain?” Yugao asked, “what is it?”  
  
“Genma knew? _Genma_?” Of course he knew. And _of course_ he wouldn’t have said anything to Kakashi. He had wanted Hermione for himself, if his reaction about their bond was anything to go by. He had no doubt wanted Kakashi to seem like a total asshole for him not to have gotten her a gift while Genma had.  
  
“Maybe?”  
  
Now Kakashi knew he had no choice but to get her a gift. He wasn’t sure if Genma would get her something now, if he would even speak with her while he was away, but he knew he couldn’t not give her something. She probably expected one as well, right? Damn it. He didn’t even know what he could get her. He didn’t even know what she liked. Kakashi sat down on the other bed in the room, put his face in his hands and groaned.He had been so determined to keep her from his mind during this mission. He couldn’t afford to get distracted. Especially now.   
  
He must’ve been quite out of it, if he didn’t notice Shisui approaching him and kneeling down in front of him. He peered at the younger teen between his hands, getting annoyed with his behaviour.  
  
“I’m guessing you have no idea what to get her, huh?”  
  
Kakashi didn’t bother with a response this time, he knew it was a rhetorical question. Instead he waited for whatever comment was going to follow. Luckily Shisui didn’t disappoint.  
  
“We can help you figure something out! Because you can’t show up empty handed, especially since you’ve already missed her birthday. Yuu, help think of something, will you?” Shisui said, turning to the only female in the room.  
  
She, in turn, rolled her eyes. “Keep me out of this, Shi. I’m not the right person for this.”  
  
“Why not? She’s a girl. You’re a girl. You’re our best bet!”  
  
Now, Kakashi had to admit. When it came to women and relationships, he was next to clueless. He never had had the time for that anyway. He _did_ know however, that that was _not_ a comment one should make in Yugao’s presence. She was anything but a girly girl, after all.  
  
“ _What_?” She hissed. “Are you kidding me?” She rolled her eyes, “you’re sleeping on the floor tonight, Shi.”  
  
“Eh? What did I do?” He asked confused, making Kakashi shake his head at him. For someone who was in some sort of relationship, he sure as hell didn’t know women that well. Even _he_ knew not to make such a comment.  
  
The next day, they went over the plan several times, making sure every single possibility was discussed and they knew how to deal with every single outcome. Kakashi was silently counting down the hours until about an hour and half to midnight. He knew Tenzou would react to any order given, so there wouldn’t be any problems there. He just hoped the bodyguards and the princess would do the same.  
  
“So, what are you gonna get Hermione-san for her birthday?” Shisui said, breaking the silence. Kakashi closed his uncovered eye at that and groaned.  
  
“Really? Haven’t you learned your lesson yet?” Then again, sleeping on the floor for one night didn’t bother Shisui, or any of them. They’ve had to sleep in tougher situations plenty of times, so sleeping on the floor of an inn, which was warm and dry? Yeah, not at all bad. He also knew however, that Shisui would not stop harassing him and while he hated to admit it, Shisui had a point. What _was_ he going to give Hermione for her birthday? “I’m going to do some recon in the town,” Kakashi then said, eying both his subordinates. “I’ll be back in an hour or two. Don’t stray too far. I’ll send Pakkun if anything happens.”  
  
“Yes sir,” both commented as he left the room after performing a quick Henge. Time to stretch his legs and do some investigating.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione couldn’t stop herself from feeling giddy the entire way to the town they were heading towards. Itachi had explained that they were heading towards a town called Tanzaku Gai, which was about a day and a half away. It apparently was a town where a lot of people went for gambling opportunities and other adult pastimes, or so he had said. It didn’t matter to her what they were doing there. All she could think about was taking in the scenery that was vastly different compared to England. It was beautiful in its own way, but she couldn’t help but miss home.  
  
Along the way, Genma had kept to himself, which hadn’t surprised her that much. After her outburst, it seemed even Gai had kept his distance from him. Itachi pretended nothing had happened, which is what every good leader should do, of course. That didn’t mean he didn’t have any questions. It surprisingly took him half a day before he asked her the first of many questions.   
  
_“The Hokage says you’re different, that you’re from somewhere else,”_ he had started softly. _“That you don’t use chakra but that you have abilities?”_ Hermione let him get his thoughts in order, waiting for an actual question instead of just responding to this. She knew Gai was paying attention too. Genma already knew most of it and had witnessed her so-called abilities firsthand but she could tell he was listening too. _“He was a bit… vague, really.”_ Itachi continued, a small frown on his face, as if he didn’t like the fact that there was something he didn’t understand. _“I was wondering if you would be willing to explain? Does it have anything to do with that stick you held in your hand?”_  
  
Hermione had to bite her tongue and remind herself that Itachi wasn’t properly informed. She would have to start all over again with her explanation, reminding herself not to explain everything. Only enough to satisfy their curiosity. _“The stick is called a wand.”_ She hoped she didn’t sound as annoyed as she felt. It really wasn’t his fault. _“Where I’m from, it’s what we use to do magic.”_ _  
_  
 _“Magic?”_ Gai commented behind her, which made her look at him. _"I am afraid you are mistaken, my friend,_ " he said, looking troubled, which somehow was something that looked completely wrong on his face. _"There is no such thing as Magic to be discerned."  
  
_ _“Of course there is,”_ Hermione retorted. _“Just because you’ve never seen it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, Gai-san. For instance, I never thought that walking on walls or running extremely fast like you lot do was something that was possible. Yet here you are.”_ She said with a wave of her hand, as she looked over her shoulder to make her point.   
  
_“You specifically need that wand?”_ Itachi interjected, saving both her and Gai from a discussion that was bound to happen, by the look on the older teen’s face.  
  
 _“I- well. Yes.”_ He didn’t have to know that there was such a thing as wandless magic. Thinking about that, maybe she should look into that. In case someone _does_ manage to steal her wand.  
  
 _“Doesn’t that make you extremely vulnerable? I’m guessing you only have one of those?”_ The kid was smart, even if it was common sense. The fact that he asked if she specifically needed _that_ wand was more than enough for her to come to that conclusion. She would have to be very careful with what she said and _how_ she said it when she was around him, that’s for sure.  
  
_“I suppose so, yes”_ She agreed. _“Back home, that wasn’t as much of an issue. It’s certainly different here,”_ she offered.   
  
In the next few hours both Itachi and Gai asked questions here and there. Gai went as far as to demand a demonstration, to see for himself what her abilities are, which she politely declined. She didn’t think it would be such a smart idea to openly use her magic here, you never knew who would be lurking around. Also, judging Itachi’s look, he wasn’t too thrilled with the idea of her using her abilities right then and there. Still, he also seemed incredibly curious as to what she could do.  
  
Nearing nightfall, they decided to stop at a cluster of trees. All three men took out their sleeping bags and unrolled them in a semi circle. Genma had gone to gather some wood to make a campfire. She had asked if it was safe enough to do so, but Itachi waved it off. They were still in the Fire country so it was safe enough. As the eldest of the group returned with a couple of logs, she decided that she could show them a small bit of her magic. _“I can light that fire, if you want.”_   
  
Itachi looked at her as if wanting to decline, but it seemed his curiosity won out, giving her a small nod. All eyes turned to her as she took out her wand and pointed at the logs. _“Incendio,”_ she said softly, a small flame ignited from the tip of her wand and within seconds a nice campfire was flickering on the logs.   
  
_“Incredible,”_ she heard Gai whisper. As she turned to look at him, she paused the second she saw Itachi’s eyes. Blinking, she looked into his dark eyes, which she could’ve sworn were bright red a second before. It reminded her of Kakashi’s eye. Of Shisui too. Then she remembered his last name, Uchiha. It would seem this was something that ran in the family.  
  
 _“It’s just fire,”_ she shrugged, trying to cover up the fact she had been blatantly staring at the young teen. _“Also, don’t you guys have a tent?”_  
  
 _“We usually sleep out in the open,”_ Itachi offered. _“Also, bringing a tent takes up quite a bit of space, so we don’t usually bring one, unless it’s to save us from the weather.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“I have a tent,”_ she blurted out. _“And it’s big enough for all of us.”_ She said, shrugging. Hermione didn’t know if it was smart to say that, but she didn’t really feel like camping outside and sleeping on the floor, when it was possible to just sleep in a cot.   
  
_“And where exactly is this tent?”_ Genma asked, finally breaking the silence between the two of them.   
  
_“In my bag, of course,”_ she replied, refraining from adding an immature ‘duh’.   
  
The only response she got was a raised eyebrow. Both Gai and Itachi kept quiet as they both eyed her bag. With an eye roll, she opened her bag and stuck her arm in. It never ceased to amuse her how people looked when she did that. With a small grin on her lips, she pulled out the small package that contained her tent. The looks she had gotten at that moment were priceless. That showed them. ‘Magic isn’t real,’ they had said. Yeah, right.  
  
Placing the tent on the floor, she pointed her wand at it. With a quick _“Erecto”_ the tent was set up. Looking at the tent, she remembered all the times she, Harry and Ron had used this tent. Arthur had gifted this tent to her once again, after having learned of her parents’ deaths. He understood she needed some time and figured she could use the comfort that the tent offered.   
  
Ignoring the looks of the shinobi, she opened the flap and walked in. A few steps in, she stopped, getting overwhelmed with all the memories this tent held, once again. From the Quidditch World Cup and the horrors that followed, to the months she had spent hunting Horcruxes, to grieving the loss of her parents. This was too much. There were too many memories for her to keep it together.   
  
_“Hermione-san?”_ She heard Genma asked from outside of the tent. She didn’t respond, instead choosing to walk further inside the tent, moving towards the kitchen. She could do with a cup of tea right now.   
  
_“What the fu- Hermione-san?!”_ Genma’s voice called out, this time a bit more panicked.  
  
 _“I’m in the kitchen.”_ She called back, busying herself with the tea.  
  
It took a while before he entered the kitchen though and when he did, she noticed both Itachi and Gai standing behind him. All three of them had wide eyes, looking around, taking everything in. The second the senbon-user saw her face, however, his attention turned to her. “Are you okay?” He asked, switching to English. Giving her at least some privacy, since neither Gai nor Itachi spoke English.  
  
“Yes. Yes, I’m fine. It’s just- There’s a lot of memories here.” She said, not wanting to go into _what_ memories had resurfaced. _“If you want, you can sleep in here?”_ She offered. _“I can put up wards around the tent, as well.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Thank you,”_ Itachi said with a nod. _“You won’t have to put up any wards, we’ll take shifts keeping watch.”_  
  
 _“Suit yourselves.”_ Hermione understood that they’d probably feel more comfortable doing that. With a flick of her wand, she levitated the tea out of the kitchen near the seating area, with a couple of cups. _“So, I’m sure you have questions.”_ She said as she sat down. _“How about some tea?”_ _  
_  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
After roaming around the small town, his team had checked all their packs and gotten ready for the mission. While roaming he also had found a gift for Hermione. He had been aimlessly walking around until he passed a small bookstore. Normally he wouldn't have bothered. The only books worth buying nowadays were easily accessible back home. His eye caught a book he didn't know, however. Moving closer, it seemed to be a children's book, which meant the text was larger than normal and it was a simple version of their written language. It reminded him of all the books he's seen in Hermione's possession. Before he realised what he had done, he'd given the vendor the asked amount of money and received the wrapped book. Kakashi looked at it for another moment, before storing it in his pouch. He finally had a gift for her. That was one less thing to think about.   
  
The mission had gone without a hitch, thankfully. Kakashi liked to think it was because of their careful planning, but knew it also helped that the bodyguards _and_ the princess followed every single one of their orders, without any whining, which was a big plus. Honestly, he had expected some whining, seeing as she was only fourteen. Of course, when he was that age, he was nothing like that. But he did know they had different upbringings. It’d be wrong to expect the same type of maturity from her.  
  
It took no time at all to reach the boat they had arranged for this escape. Kakashi ended up carrying Koyuki on his back. She had her arms around his neck, holding on tight as he sped through the trees, away from the castle. In order to protect her face from the cold, she had buried her face in his neck. The moment he felt her hot breath, he had stiffened at first, not expecting her to do that. Hoisting her up to make it comfortable for him to hold her, she had tightened her grip a little before letting go again, as to not choke him while he carried her.   
  
Once they arrived at the docks, Team Ro and the bodyguards quickly boarded the boat. The boat had been ready to go since the moment they had arrived in Snow. Kakashi had made sure to have this boat ready for their leave, making the secret escape easier on all of them. With a little help of a wind jutsu from both Kakashi and Tenzou they made good time too, cutting the original time to cross the water in half. They didn’t need to be as sneaky now, seeing it was more important to get as much space between the Princess and her uncle as fast as possible. It only took them two days to reach the capital of Waterfall.  
  
“You can’t leave us! You have to protect us. It’s your job!” The Princess of Snow whined when she had heard Kakashi discuss with Sandayuu Asama that they would leave them there. Giving them the choice of where to go next. Their mission was over technically. His team had successfully helped the Princess escape.  
  
“I don’t have to do anything you say.” Kakashi retorted. “We did what we were paid for. You’re safe from your uncle. Our job here is done.”  
  
“Nooo!” She wailed, throwing her arms around him, making him flinch. He grabbed her arms and tried to pry away her arms without hurting her, but she refused to budge. For fuck’s sake, was this girl serious?  
  
“Let go,” he grunted.   
  
“Koyuki-sama,” Sandayuu scolded. “He’s right. They’ve done what we hired him for.”  
  
“No!” She started sobbing, holding on to his clothes. Kakashi’s patience had run out though, not that he had a lot of patience to spare. He switched his grip from her arms to her wrist, applying a little bit of pressure, causing her to release her hold. A second later, she was pushed back several steps, Kakashi taking a few steps back as well.  
  
Behind him, he could hear Tenzou, Shisui and Yugao snickering at the scene. With a sharp glare, they immediately stopped. The moment he looked away, he could hear Shisui let out another snicker. With a roll of his eye he turned back to the bodyguard and the Princess. “If that’s all, we’ll be on our way. Best of luck to you.” He said with a nod. Right as he moved to turn back around, the Princess called out to him again.  
  
“Wait! I- please wait!” With a silent sigh, he turned back once again. “Are you sure you can’t stay with us?” She asked, sniffling. “I’m scared! What if my uncle comes after me?”  
  
He stopped himself from sighing again, telling himself that she couldn’t help it. Kneeling down in front of her, he made sure she was looking at him before he started speaking. “It’s not that simple.” He started. As stated before, the mission had been completed on their end. They did what they were paid to do. He also knew they only had so much money to spare, especially since their main goal was to keep the Princess safe. “We've done what we were hired to do. It’s the job of your bodyguards to keep you safe. Not ours.” He told her.   
  
"But-"   
  
"No buts. No more high expectations and using your money to get things done. You're on your own now."   
  
He saw her bottom lip quiver and almost thought that she would start crying… but she didn't. Taking a deep breath she pulled herself together. With a nod she looked up to him, determination visible on her face. "You're right. Thank you." She then reached out to him, to which he took a step back. He really didn't want her to try and attach herself to him again. He didn't like it. "It's just a hug, to thank you."  
  
"I'd really rather not," he said in return. He wasn't sure why, but being in close proximity made him nervous. Taking another step back, he turned to his team. He heard her take a breath, to no doubt say something else but then heard Asama tell her to not bother. With a nod to his team, all of them followed his lead, walking away. It was time to go back home.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
After having slept fairly peacefully and leaving quite early in the morning, Hermione and the shinobi had arrived at Tanzaku Gai. If her math was correct, it had taken them about a day and a half. In the hopes that they would find Sirius fairly quickly, they wouldn't be away more than a week. Which was long enough for her. She was already missing Teddy terribly. She hoped nothing would happen to him while she was away.   
  
Hermione was surprised to learn that they were going to stay at an inn. She still didn't have any money but when she tried to say so, Itachi had waved her off. He explained that the Hokage had given them a small budget and that they'd easily be able to stay at the inn _and_ take care of any food and necessities for at least a week. That had shut her up, but she still felt guilty that they spent money on something like that.   
  
_"Just our luck,"_ Genma had groaned as they had gotten inside their room. Apparently there was a festival going on in the town. Which would make it a bit more difficult to find someone who was possibly a wizard. Combine that with the fact that if he was, he'd have a lot of experience of not standing out. Yeah, it would be anything but easy, she guessed.  
  
 _"It's not so bad. The festival ends tomorrow, right?"_ Hermione offered. _“We’ll have a better shot at finding him then.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“You’re right.”_ Came from behind her. Itachi entered the room, followed by Gai. _“Which is why we’re not going to look today. We’ll wait until the festival is over. Until then, we'll go over the plan to find this man."  
  
_ _“So we won’t be able to go to the festival at all?”_ Hermione asked.  
  
 _“No.”_  
  
 _“Oh,”_ Hermione was bummed to hear that. The festival looked very interesting cultural wise. It would’ve been a great chance for her to learn more about it, she had looked forward at trying some different foods as well. _  
_ _  
_ _“Come on, captain.”_ Gai argued, _“it can’t hurt to check it out, right? It’s a flourishing festival that symbolises the end of the Summer! It’ll give us a feel for the town. I can’t wait to see what this beautiful Autumn festival has to offer!”_ He took a pose and held up his thumb, smiling wide. While it looked like an uncomfortable pose in general, he managed to pull it off. It was like he did this all the time, Hermione thought with a smile.  
  
It took only a moment for Itachi to sigh and nod, _“alright. I guess we can go have a look.”_ He then turned to Hermione, looking her over. _“You’ll have to find an outfit that won’t stand out, though.”_  
  
Hermione’s eyes widened as she looked down. She didn’t bring any other clothing other than her most practical clothes. _“Oh, well, what kind of clothes do I need then?”_ She asked.  
  
He simply pointed to the window, signaling her to look through it which she did. As she looked at the people wandering the streets, she noticed that all the women were wearing kimonos, while the men varied with their clothing. Figures. One of the kimonos stood out to her, she just knew the colour would look great on her. With a nod, she turned away from the window and walked towards the bathroom, ignoring the looks of the men.  
  
 _“What are you-”_   
  
She knew it was rude of her to ignore them and their questioning gazes, but frankly, she was a bit annoyed at the backwards society. Of course the women had to dress up, while the men could do what they wanted. With a sigh, she took out her wand and pointed it at herself, imagining the kimono she had seen. She had tweaked it a little in her mind, but hoped it would be good enough for her to blend in. With a soft murmur she felt her clothes change. Once done, she looked at herself in the mirror, feeling quite pleased with the end result.  
  
Walking out of the bathroom, she heard the men talk about what she assumed was the plan for tomorrow. As soon as Genma noticed her, he paused, making the other two turn around as well. _“How the hell did you manage that?”_ He asked.  
  
A smirk made its way to her lips. _“Easy. Magic.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“What can’t you do with that magic of yours?”_ Gai asked. _“I’ve never seen anyone do anything like it. This would be like a bloodline limit, right? It’s something only your clan can do.”_ _  
_ _  
_She wasn’t sure if it was. She still didn’t understand exactly how the clans worked here. From what she had learned, each clan had their own specialty, which was limited only to their clan. But then, how could Kakashi use that Sharingan? He wasn’t an Uchiha, like Shisui and Itachi. Honestly, Gai’s comment only caused her to have more questions than answers. _“I guess? I’m not really sure, if I’m honest.”_ She replied.   
  
Either way, they didn’t have any objections on her leaving like this, making her think that she did a good job transfiguring her clothes. Finally she would be able to witness the culture during a celebration. She noticed people were most relaxed during a festival, giving her a good taste of how things worked. Hermione was happily trying different kinds of foods, looking at different kinds of stores and glancing at all the colours the town held.  
  
Feeling herself get lost in the vibe, she almost missed the feeling of being watched. Looking around, she noticed it wasn’t any of the men she was with. While she had no doubt they were keeping tabs on her, she wasn’t blatantly stared at by them. If not them, however, then who? She tried to look around, without attracting attention to herself. Which, of course didn’t, work. She was with shinobi after all.  
  
 _“Something wrong, Hermione-san?”_ Itachi softly asked. _  
_ _  
_ _“No,”_ she said slowly. _“I don’t think so. I must be imagining things.”_  
  
 _“If you’re sure_ …” _  
__  
__“I’ll let you know if I change my mind.”_ She said. She tried to shrug off the feeling. It was probably because of the past events she’s had to deal with that made her more on edge. That sure made it more difficult for her to completely relax and rely on the shinobi for defence.  
  
The feeling of being watched stayed, however. During the entire afternoon and well into the night, she kept feeling the prickly sensation of being watched but whenever she turned around, she didn’t see anything suspicious. It was when they made their way back to the inn that she finally realised why she hadn’t noticed. She’d been looking for people. Humans. The reason why she had missed it the entire time, stood right in front of her, now. Looking her straight in the eye. Hermione had forgotten how big he was, forgotten the colour of his hair, almost. Not anymore. Seeing what was in front of her, it clicked immediately.   
  
Because right in front of her, stood a large dark animal. A black dog, to be precise. Of course, she thought. A feeling of relief surged through her as she realised who stood in front of her. He was actually here. Padfoot. Sirius. He _was_ alive.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand, that's all folks. Leave me a comment to let me know what you think!
> 
> Until next time! :D


	34. Three-headed dog

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who can't wait to update when another chapter's finished? 
> 
> That's right! ME!
> 
> So, I present to you: Chapter 34! :D
> 
> Again, apologies for any and all mistakes!
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy!

**Chapter 34: Three-headed dog  
  
  
**_“Hermione-san? Are you alright?”_ Hermione blinked a few times before turning towards Gai.   
  
_“Y-yeah, I'm fine.”_ She said shakily. She felt like she was losing her mind.  
  
It was Itachi who spoke up next, _“did you see something?”_   
  
As she turned back to where she had seen the black dog, she noticed he was no longer there. _“I- No. I thought I did, but-”_ _  
__  
_ Itachi glanced in the same direction. _“This is the second time you thought you saw something.”_ He stated. She knew what it must look like. Knew that Itachi wouldn’t believe her if she said it was nothing. Honestly, she didn’t believe it either, but what was she supposed to do? Hermione ended up shrugging, not knowing what to say to that. _“Alright. Let’s head back to the inn.”_ He said.  
  
Once there, the men started discussing the town and their plan to find Sirius however Hermione barely heard what was being said. Her mind was still in the streets, looking at the Animagus form of someone who she considered a friend, sort of. He was Harry’s Godfather, of course. Yet, the way he behaved most of the time was like he was still a teenager. All in all, she couldn’t say they had gotten along that well. That didn’t mean she didn’t miss him or his presence after he had supposedly died. Shit, this was all so fucked up, wasn’t it? She didn’t know what to think anymore.  
  
_“You still with us, Hermione-san?”_ Itachi asked, making her snap out of her thoughts. A blush appeared on her face as she noticed all three of them were watching her.  
  
_“Sorry, yes. Um, you were saying?”_ _  
__  
__“We were saying that we’d_ love _for you to tell us what this guy looks like, sweetheart.”_ Genma said with a smirk.   
  
Hermione scowled at the nickname Genma gave her, “do _not_ call me that.” She hissed at him in English. Genma held up his hands defensively and shot her a cheeky smile. “And drop that damned smile, Genma-san. I’m still angry at you.” Which was enough to make him falter.  
  
_“What’s going on?”_ Gai said, confused. _“Genma? What-  
  
__“It’s nothing, Gai-san.”_ Hermione quickly says.   
  
_“Sirius is fairly tall, about as tall as Genma-san, I think. Last I saw him he was well-built. He had medium, lustrous black hair, which can appear to be a bit lighter in the sun and he has grey eyes. Oh! And he has tattoos, unless he covered them up. And facial hair, too.”_ _  
__  
__“Thank you. This will help.”_ Itachi said with a nod. _“We’ll pair up in teams tomorrow. Genma and Gai, you two take the market and the area near the castle. Hermione-san and I will take the other side, near the bars.”_ _  
__  
__“You got it,”_ Gai said with a nod. Genma didn’t look too pleased with this decision, but kept his mouth shut. It was actually quite a smart move to pair them up like this. This way both ‘teams’ had someone who spoke English and someone who was at least somewhat familiar with magic. Genma hadn’t seen that much, sure, but it would be enough to recognise it, no doubt.  
  
_“Alright. That’s settled then.”_ The young shinobi said standing up. _“Gai, let’s go get some food.”_ He looked at Genma and gave him a look that Hermione couldn’t decipher. _“We’ll be back in about fifteen minutes.”_ _  
__  
_ The moment the door closed, the room became awkwardly quiet. Hermione understood Itachi had meant something with that, even a blind person would know the vibe between Hermione and Genma was off. She shifted on the bed she was sitting on, not sure what to do or say to make this silence a bit more bearable. Truly, she hoped she didn’t have to, hoped Genma would be the one to break the silence.  
  
He didn’t.   
  
Which made all of this all the more awkward, to the point where Hermione couldn’t sit still anymore and started pacing. She kept throwing him glances, which she knew he deliberately ignored. “You’re not going to say anything at all now?”  
  
“Does it even matter?” He said.  
  
“Why wouldn’t it?”  
  
“Because no matter what I say, you’re still angry with me.”  
  
“Of course I’m bloody angry!” She said, whirling around to look at him. “Wouldn’t _you_ be? What you said was extremely hurtful. You really hurt him, surely you understand that?”  
  
“Yeah, well, maybe I was hurt too!” Genma raised his voice as he said that, finally standing up too. “Did you ever think about that?”  
  
“So, because your feelings were hurt, you thought it was a good idea to hurt other people?”  
  
“No, of course not.”  
  
“Then what the hell were you thinking?”  
  
“I _wasn’t_ thinking, okay?” Genma yelled. “Is that what you wanted to hear? I wasn’t thinking. I was hurt and I lashed out.”  
  
Hermione faltered at that, she heard how Genma’s voice slightly cracked as he said that. He had been hurt, she realised. _Really_ hurt. To the point where he would have no control on his emotions and lashed out instead. Then, she realised that she was partially to blame for that as well, wasn’t she? She had been saying this over and over in her head but she wasn’t stupid. Deep down, she knew exactly what had caused this.   
  
Before she could go down the route of feeling guilty for causing at least a bit of this, she looked at Genma. Really looked at him and still saw the hurt in his eyes. Hurt she was to blame for, if only she had been more clear with him. Could she have prevented this? “I’m sorry.”  
  
“Wha- why?”  
  
“I don’t know. I feel like-” She shrugged, “I feel like if we’d just talked about this, maybe it wouldn’t have exploded like it has.”  
  
“But there’s nothing to talk about, sweetheart. You don’t feel the same way. That’s that.” Genma sounded so defeated when he said that.  
  
“I’m sorry,” Hermione said again.  
  
“Stop apologising. It’s not your fault, is it? You can’t help who you fall in love with. Right?”  
  
"L-love? I didn't say anything about love, Genma-san," she argued.   
  
"True, but you didn't have to. You've got a very expressive face, Hermione-san. It does all the speaking for you."   
  
Hermione felt herself frown at that, what was he getting at? "I- I don't-"   
  
"You'd have to be blind to not see the way you look at him. I imagine it's kind of how I look at you, heh." He said with a shrug. Hermione was horrified though, was it really _that_ clear that she somewhat fancied Kakashi? "I mean, it's obvious if you look at your eyes," he clarified. "Your eyes- they- I wish someone would look at me like that, some day."  
  
Hermione couldn't help the blush appearing on her cheeks. That was… She hadn't expected him to say that. Was it really that obvious? The way she looked at Kakashi? Did it even matter though? It's not like he felt the same way, surely. Just because they shared a bond, didn't automatically mean he would fall in love with her.   
  
"He looks at you the same way, when you're not looking." Genma said. She looked up at him, shocked. She hadn't said anything out loud, had she? But he wasn't looking at her, surprisingly. He was staring out of the window. "He's a bit harder to read, I'll give you that. But it's definitely there." Another shrug, but this one seemed not as carefree. "It felt unfair, y'know? It was like he stole you, right from under my nose. I guess I never stood a chance."  
  
What was she supposed to say to that? That he was right? That he actually never stood a chance? That, for better or worse, Hermione and Kakashi would no doubt end up together, at some point? They'd have to have some sort of relationship, even if it wasn't a romantic one. The bond wouldn't allow for them to have no relationship at all. Kakashi would always be a part of her life, as a friend. Or more. Maybe. That part wasn't up to them, frustratingly enough.   
  
"That doesn't mean we can't hang out," she said. "I- if you want. I mean- I totally get it if you don't want to. It'll be complicated, surely." Hermione didn't want to force anything on him. It would be hard for him, being friends with her. Being reminded of his one-sided affection. But it didn't mean they _couldn't_ be friends. If he was able to live with that. She would try her hardest to make it work. She'd like another friend here. "What I'm trying to say is- we _can_ be friends. If you'd like."  
  
She waited for Genma to look at her, which took him a moment. Once he did, she noticed a small smile on his lips. It was the most genuine smile she'd seen on his face since she met him. "I'd very much like that, sweetheart."   
  
"And you're going to have to stop calling me that," she pointed out to him.   
  
"Why? It's fun!" He said, his smile forming into a cocky grin.   
  
"Because it'll get you in trouble." Hermione pointed out.   
  
"Eh, live a little Hermione-san." She rolled her eyes at that. Men.   
  
"And, as your friend," she started. "I feel like I should point out that you really should talk to Kakashi once you have the chance." Genma looked at her, face serious.   
  
"I know. I will."   
  
"Good. I'd hate to have to hex you if you don't."  
  
"Hex me?"   
  
"Oh, yes. I know quite a few, too."   
  
"Yeah," he said the word slowly. "I'll pass. Thanks." She gave him a playful push in response, making Genma laugh just as Itachi and Gai returned.   
  
_"I see you got your issues resolved?"_ Itachi asked.   
  
Genma hummed at that and gave his captain a nod, _"we're good."  
  
__"Good. Let's eat."  
  
  
  
_-  
  
  
  
Hermione woke up early. Too early. A quick glance at the clock told her it was only five in the morning. It really was too early, she thought with a quiet groan. She had barely slept, too. She was too excited. She really wanted to go look for Sirius. A small part of her felt bad for not telling the guys about Sirius' Animagus form. But she wasn't sure how this would be received. She also figured that would be something for him to tell them. As long as it didn't form any problems for them, she didn't see why she should.   
  
_"You're up early."_ Itachi whispered as she walked towards him.   
  
_"Couldn't sleep,"_ she responded as she sat down across from him. The suite they had gotten in the inn was surprisingly big. It had a room for the beds, a bathroom and also a small room with a table and some chairs. It wasn't much, but it was more than she had expected when they had first arrived here.   
  
_"Tea?"  
  
__"Yes, thank you."  
  
_As Itachi prepared a cup, she got the chance to study him. He looked tired, she noted. Too tired. With how he acted and the responsibility he had on this mission, she had almost forgotten how young he was. Hermione still couldn't believe that someone _this_ young had to deal with so much. He really did look like a first year Hogwarts Student.   
  
_"Here,"_ he said as he placed a freshly brewed cup of tea in front of her. She nodded her thanks in response. _"You've got questions."_   
  
Hermione looked up in surprise, not expecting him to say that. _"Yes. Well, sort of."  
  
__"Ask. I'll answer what I can."  
  
__"I don't think- I don't wish to be rude."_ She only got a raised eyebrow in return. Was that a shinobi thing? All of them had been raising their eyebrows at her left and right, she was half tempted to make it stick there. _"I just- I can't help but think how young you are."  
  
__"That's not a question, Hermione-san."_ He pointed out.   
  
_"Aren't you too young to be a shinobi? Is this even something that you want to be?"  
  
_Itachi was quiet for a moment, touching the rim of his teacup. _"It's what is expected of me."  
  
__"That's not what I asked, though. I asked if this is something you_ want _to be."  
  
_He didn't look at her, keeping his eyes on his hands. He also didn't answer her, which told her everything she needed to know. When he did finally look at her, his expression was closed off. _"That's really not any of your concern, Hermione-san."_ He finally said.   
  
Hermione had to bite her tongue to stop her from objecting, instead nodding at him. She was the one to look away this time, feeling guilty. She should've kept her mouth shut. She had said she didn't want to be rude, so hopefully he understood that she didn't mean to be. Then again, who was she to have an opinion about this? She was about his age when she started getting in trouble at Hogwarts. Or, well, when trouble always seemed to find Harry.   
  
_"Good morning my friends! It is going to be a wonderful day today, I can already tell. Are you all ready to find this interesting mysterious man?"_ Gai loudly proclaimed as he entered the room Hermione and Itachi were sitting. Hermione could barely hide her wince at the volume but had to stifle a laugh as she heard Genma shouting from the other room, telling Gai to shut up. _“It would seem Genma isn’t as youthful as the rest of us.”_ Gai said with a grin. Something told Hermione he knew exactly what he was doing, hitting just the right buttons.  
  
_“Damn it, Gai. It’s five in the fucking morning. What the hell, dude?”_ _  
__  
__“Actually, dear friend, it’s five thirty.”_ _  
__  
__“It’s still too fucking early!”_ _  
__  
__“He’s not much of a morning person, is he?”_ Hermione whispered at Itachi. He responded with a small smile and a shake of his head. Then, to Genma she said, “ _would you like a cup of tea, Genma-san?”_ _  
__  
_ With a groan the man sat down, as she got up to get him a cup of tea, like Itachi had done for her. Looking over her shoulder, she saw him with his head on the table, making her giggle at his dramatics. Once the tea was done, she placed it in front of him. _“Here you go, drama-queen.”_ _  
__  
__“I am not a drama-queen!”_ _  
__  
__“Sure, sure.”_ She laughed with a wave.  
  
Itachi cleared his throat, _“since all of us are awake, we might as well get an early start.”_  
  
_“Wouldn’t this be too early to do so? I don’t think anything will be open yet at this time.”_ _  
__  
__“Actually, sweetheart, this town doesn’t really close down at night. With all the gambling and all that, it’s pretty much open twenty-four seven.”_ _  
__  
_ Well, that certainly made everything easier. Hermione hummed as she thought about where Sirius would and could be hiding out. She came to terms with the fact that it had, in fact, been him. Now she just had to think like him. What would he do? Where would he go? Now that she thought about it, she didn’t know Sirius _that_ well. Not enough to know what kind of place he would go. Finishing her tea, she got up and headed to the bathroom to get ready for the day. Today would be a long one.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione would lie if she had said she wasn’t worried about spending the day looking for Sirius with Itachi, especially after that dreadful start she had with him this morning. He never mentioned anything about it. It didn’t mean she didn’t feel bad though. She knew she was opinionated and could sometimes, okay, most of the time go overboard with sharing her opinion. Honestly, she felt like she should apologise to him. What did she know about this culture? About the expectations. About the rules. She didn’t know anything at all, did she? It was the same when Kakashi had spoken about his past. Damn it.  
  
_“Itachi-san?”_   
  
_“Yes?”_ _  
__  
__“I- I’m sorry for this morning.”_ _  
__  
__“For what?”_ _  
__  
__“For what? For being rude, of course!”_ _  
__  
__“You weren’t rude, Hermione-san. I don’t expect you to understand the way it works here. You’ve only been here for a short while, right?”_ _  
__  
__“Well- Yes, but-”_ _  
__  
__“It’s fine, really. I didn’t mind.”_ _  
__  
_ If there was anything she had learned about Itachi in the short time that she had known him, is that he didn’t act like his age. At all. She started to understand why he was given this mission to lead. He was extremely responsible. Acted a lot older than people even older than him. Gai and Genma were a good reference point for that. Or, maybe not. But even thinking about the people she’s met so far… Kakashi, his team, Inoichi and his wife. Even they let loose. But not him, not Itachi. She couldn’t imagine the burdens on his shoulders, for having to act like that. It wasn’t healthy. He had to grow up too fast. She found that a lot of people in Konoha had to do that.  
  
_“We should check out the bars over there. Maybe we’ll find someone who knows about your friend.”_ Itachi guided her down a street where there were more bars than she had seen in a very long while.   
  
Hermione didn’t know where to look. There were so many people, so many different kinds of people. So many different kinds of bars, too. She tried to take everything in, tried to look for something that would point her to Sirius. Was it really that hard to give her some sort of sign?  
  
A sign.   
  
_A sign_. There was a sign, right in front of her, that stood out to her. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. This was too damn easy. As she walked towards the bar that somehow drew her in, Hermione kept her eyes on that sign. It definitely stood out to her, hell, it probably stood out to everyone who paid attention. It was not every day you saw a three-headed dog on a pub sign.  
  
_“Itachi-san? What does that say?”_ She asked, pointing at the symbols below the sign. While she had learned quite a bit of their language to be able to talk with people, she had yet to learn their written language.   
  
_“It says ‘Keruberosu’.”_ _  
__  
__“What does that mean?”_ _  
__  
__“It’s a three-headed dog.”_ _  
__  
__“Of course it is.”_ She said under her breath, because of _course_ it was. This was so typically Sirius Black. He probably had laughed at his own joke when he named this. _“This is the place.”_  
  
_“It is?”_ _  
__  
__“Yes.”_ _  
__  
__“How do you know?”_ As he asked this, a crow appeared out of nowhere. It didn’t even surprise her, as the crow cawed and flew away after a few quick words from Itachi. _  
__  
__“Because only that idiot would name a bar after a damned three-headed dog.”_ She said. She moved to enter the bar, but was stopped by Itachi, his hand grabbing his arm.  
  
_“Gai and Genma are coming. They’ll be here in a few. We don’t move until they get here.”_ _  
__  
__“O-oh, right.”_ This part of missions, she didn’t know. She wasn’t used to waiting for backup. Normally she just barged right in, that was probably the Gryffindor part of her, she thought with a grin. Hermione knew that if Itachi hadn’t been standing here, she would’ve been inside and demanding answers already.  
  
_“You guys work fast, eh?”_ Genma said as he and Gai arrived. _“So, is this it?”  
  
__“Hermione-san says it is.”_ Itachi confirmed, as he let go of Hermione. _“So, before we go in, we- Hermione-san!”_ _  
__  
_ The second Itachi had let go of her, she stormed in. Wand drawn.   
  
_“Good morning! I’ll be right out”_ A male voice said from the back of the bar. She recognised that voice. She would always recognise the easy way he spoke, demanding attention as he went. Hermione held her breath, waiting for him to appear from the back. And when he did… He looked just like he had back then, when he passed through the veil.  
  
_“Sorry about that, what can I get you this fine-”_ _  
_  
“Merlin’s beard,” Hermione breathed. “It _is_ you.” From behind her she could hear the three shinobi walk in and stop, taking in what happened in front of them.  
  
“Hermione?!” Sirius looked at her in complete disbelief. Suddenly his wand was drawn, pointing straight at her, making her do the same to him. She hadn’t expected him to have his wand. Thinking about it, though, it made sense. No wand was found near the veil, after all. “It can’t be you.”  
  
“You’ve got to be kidding me. The Three-headed dog? Really?”  
  
“Actually, I was pretty serious when I thought of that name.” He retorted. “I still am. Sirius, I mean.”  
  
Hermione lowered her wand at that. Sirius’ wand was still pointed at her.  
  
_“It’s him.”_ She said to the men behind her.  
  
_“How can you be sure?”_ _  
__  
__“Because no one I know makes terrible puns like that.”_ _  
__  
__“Come on, now, Hermione.”_ Sirius said, easily switching to their language as well. _“It may have been a bad joke, but it’s not a terrible pun.”_ _  
__  
__“Pot, kettle.”_ _  
__  
__“Black!”_ He replied with a shit-eating grin as he pointed at himself, making her roll her eyes.  
  
_“You’re_ still _a manchild, Sirius! Grow up!”_ _  
__  
__“Maybe so.”_ He said with a carefree shrug. _“But you still got to prove you’re you, Hermione. You know the deal.”_ He kept his wand carefully trained on her, while also keeping the shinobi in his eyesight. _“Before your fifth year,”_ He started. _“I gave you something. What was it?”_ It surprised her he hadn’t switched back to English yet. Maybe he knew this would be better for him in the long run? Genma knew what he was saying either way, but he was being surprisingly open. _  
__  
_ Hermione immediately knew what he was talking about, though. It was something she had kept to herself. She hadn’t told anyone that he had given that to her. She hadn’t dared to use any of it, either. To this day, she wasn’t sure if she wanted that. It was a very permanent thing after all. During these past few years it was because of the fear to be found out. Because if she chose to do it, she would have to register and she wasn’t sure if she wanted that as well. After everything, she didn’t want the Ministry to know everything about her. Everyone already did after the war, she just wanted at least one thing for herself.   
  
_“Well? What did I give you?”  
  
__“The tools to become an Animagus.”_ She breathed. Because he had. He had given her everything she would need to become one. All the ingredients, the tools, the guide, everything. It was illegal, she knew. But a part of her was still intrigued by it. Which was why Hermione still had it on her. It was buried all the way at the bottom of her bag. Would she even be able to still do it? She wondered. It would be very handy here, no doubt. She'd have to ask Sirius about this.   
  
It appeared Sirius trusted her enough to not have told anyone about it, because he lowered his wand. After everything, he still was a pretty good judge of character. He was right, of course. She wouldn’t, not unless she had no other choice. And she always had had a choice, hadn’t she?  
  
_“I’ll be damned.”_ He said, making his way towards her. Right before he reached her, fear surged through her. Was it really him? Yes, it was. He was the only one that knew he had given her something, after all. Standing this close to him, she could feel his magic coming from him. He was a strong wizard, after all. She blinked as she looked up to him. Tears sprang into her eyes.  
  
“Hi,” she breathed.  
  
“Hi,” he said in return, flashing her a gentle smile, before he enveloped her into a big hug, holding her tight. She started sobbing against his chest. “Shh, love, you’re alright. I got you.”  
  
"You were dead." She said, her voice muffled as her face was buried in his chest. "We watched you die. I thought you were dead."  
  
"I know, love. I know, but I'm not. I'm here, alive and well." Sirius said soothingly as he rubbed her back. Hearing what he said made her sob even harder. Even holding onto him, she still could barely believe that he was actually alive. She could feel him guiding her with him, to the back of the bar, where she'd seen some chairs.  
  
_"You mind?"_ She heard Sirius say, most likely to the shinobi still waiting there.   
  
_"We can't let you take her."_ She heard Genma say. He sounded quite serious, not at all how he had sounded before when he was joking with her.   
  
_"I'm taking her to that chair so she can bloody sit. You got a problem with that?"_ Sirius responded. He turned from her, arm wrapped around her shoulder as he shielded her face from the shinobi and guided her to the seating area.   
  
He ignored any objections the other men made as he sat her down in a chair. Whispering to her, "I assume they know about magic?" With a quick nod from her, he pulled out his wand and muttered a quick incantation. A pitcher filled with water came their way, followed by a glass. "Here, drink. I'll go have a quick chat with them, alright?"   
  
"Wha- No! You can't! I mean-"   
  
"Calm down, love. It's just a chat, I promise. We'll be right over there, alright? Drink some water." She watched as he stood up, giving her a soft smile, before turning towards the men who looked like they were ready to attack him at any given moment.   
  
Hermione wanted to say something, anything, but her mind drew a blank. She was overwhelmed with everything and knew she wouldn't be able to make sense even if she did try to speak. Instead, she grabbed the glass that had been filled with water and took a small sip. She'd have to trust Sirius in this case and hope he wouldn't say or do something that would agitate the shinobi even more.   
  
She took this chance to glance around the bar. It reminded her of the Leaky Cauldron, in a way, which was something Sirius must've had in mind when decorating it. It looked nothing like anything she had seen her before, which made her believe this was all Sirius' doing.   
  
Watching the men, she couldn't see Sirius' face as his back was turned towards her. His posture was incredibly laid back, though. Too laid back if she considered the situation he was in. Itachi's face was carefully blank, while Gai and Genma both had serious looks in theirs. They were speaking too softly for her to hear what they were saying, but they weren't fighting or anything, so she counted that as a plus.   
  
A light scratching noise made her look towards the back room, where Sirius had been before. It strangely enough sounded like an animal, making her frown. Glancing back at the men, she noticed they were still speaking, not paying attention to her as far as she could tell. She stood up slowly, making her way to the backroom.   
  
_"Hermione-san,"_ Genma said, making her wince. She should've known they wouldn't just forget about her.   
  
_"I just-"  
  
__"Meow"_ Hermione quickly turned around at that noise. A cat? Sirius had a-  
  
"Merlin's beard." She said again. " _Crookshanks?!_ "   
  
_"Meow,"_ he said again, walking up to her and rubbing his cheek against her leg. As she bent down to pet him, he started purring, rubbing his cheek against her hand as she reached out for him.   
  
"How?" She asked in disbelief. "How is he here?"   
  
"I'm not sure, to be honest." Sirius responded as he walked back towards her. " _He_ found _me_. Smart cat, he is. But we already knew that, didn't we?" He bent down too, petting Crookshanks as the cat now went to him. "I spoke with the lads, and they're ordering me to come with you guys, to Konoha."  
  
_"We didn't order you, Black-San."_ Genma objected, making Sirius switch back to their language, which was most likely for Itachi's and Gai's sake.   
  
_"No, you politely told me that I have to come to Konoha with you and if I didn't listen, I'd regret it. Don't know about you but that sure as hell sounded like an order, mate."_ Sirius retorted. _"Anyway, I have to make a few arrangements for the pub and then I'll be all set."  
  
_He stood back up and turned away from Hermione to address the others. _"Feel free to stay here until I'm done. It won't take too long."  
  
__"We have to go back to the inn to collect the rest of our stuff."  
  
__"That's fine too, I'll meet up with you later, then."  
  
__"Please don't insult my intelligence by assuming I believe you."_ Itachi stated. _"Genma, you stay with Sirius. The rest of us will go to the inn."_ He ordered. Turning to Sirius he asked, " _how long do you need?"  
  
__"About an hour."  
  
__"Fine. We'll meet back at the inn. If you're not there in two hours, I_ will _hunt you down."  
  
__"Sure, mate. Whatever you say."_ Sirius said with a wave of his hand. He gave Genma a look, silently ordering him to step away so he could speak with Hermione, by the looks of it. The shinobi begrudgingly stepped to the side. He gave her a tight hug as soon as he could.   
  
"I won't long, love. Be a gem and take Crookshanks with you?"   
  
"But-"   
  
"Please Hermione? It'd be easier to arrange everything if he's not here." The man nearly begged her, which seemed incredibly odd to her. Looking at him a moment longer, she let out a sigh.  
  
"Oh, alright." Hermione huffed as she picked the half-Kneazle up in her arms. "Don't be late."  
  
"I wouldn't dream of it."  
  
With a nod she walked towards Gai and Itachi. _"I'm ready."  
  
__"Okay, let's go. Genma,"_ he called out to get his attention. She watched them share a look and Genma nodded.   
  
At the inn, the innkeeper vehemently refused to let them bring Crookshanks inside. Itachi then offered to take him and Hermione was stunned to see that Crookshanks was surprisingly okay with Itachi holding him. _"I'm good with cats,"_ he said with a shrug, answering her questioning gaze. _"Go upstairs, I'll be there in a bit."  
  
_Gai then ushered her inside and up the stairs when she didn't move. It shouldn't have surprised her to see Itachi standing in the room when they entered, yet it did. Crookshanks was still in his arms, perfectly content.   
  
_"Please, sit, Hermione-san. I have a couple of questions regarding your friend, if that's alright."_ Itachi said as he moved to one of the chairs. He used his foot to carefully move the chair back so that he could sit, while still holding on to the cat. It seemed he didn't mind at all that the cat made no move to leave. Sitting down, he placed him in his lap, earning a half-hearted glare from the feline before laying his head back down.   
  
Hermione followed his example, pulling out one of the chairs, and sat down. Gai sat down as well, still wearing a serious look on his face.   
  
_"Black-san has agreed to come back with us, as he has told you. But from what I understand he's been here for a while. It was to my understanding, however, that you told the Hokage that you didn't know how you got here."  
  
__"I don't."_ Hermione said, _"I'm just as surprised as you are that he's here. I truly believed that I was the only one here, save for the men that brought me here, of course."  
  
__"Which would mean that there are several ways for you to come here. If that is true, it means your people will be able to come whenever they want."  
  
__"What do you want from me?"_ Hermione asked. It sounded a lot like they were accusing her of something she had no knowledge of.   
  
_"I want to know if you spoke the truth. If you've been hiding that you know how to leave-"_ Itachi said, voice flat.   
  
_"I haven't been lying."_ She said affronted, interrupting him. _"Do you think I want this? Do you think I_ want _to be here? I don't! I want to go home, Itachi-san. I want to go back to England."_ She stood up quickly, her chair falling back, causing Crookshanks to jump up as well. " _I don't want this- this nightmare. I never asked for this! So do not, for one second, think that I wouldn't go home if the opportunity didn't present itself. I'd be gone before you could utter the word Quidditch!"  
  
_With that she stormed away, locking herself in the bathroom. She heard some light scratching at the door, followed by a soft meow. With a sigh she slightly opened the door to let the cat in, before slamming it shut and locking the door again. She cast a quick Silencing charm to stop them from hearing her cry, she wasn't giving them the pleasure of that.   
  
She felt her heart ache as she sat there. How could they think that? How could they think that she would still be here, enduring all the horrors that she had, if she could've simply gone home. Hermione felt another pull, from inside of her. Oh no, the bond. She wasn't thinking- shit. She hoped Kakashi wasn't able to feel everything she had just felt, hoped that if he had, he had no idea what it was about. She hadn't even thought about their situation when she had yelled at Itachi. Had her views actually changed?   
  
The time she had spent with the Yamanaka's had been pleasant enough, right? And she even sorted some of her issues with Kakashi too. _Would_ she be able to just leave, if the opportunity presented itself? What would that mean for their bond? She never even considered that. Would it simply break, as soon as she was back home? She doubted that, surely it wasn't that simple. But then, how would they go about that? Would she give up her life, her chance to go back home, for Kakashi? She wasn't sure if she could.   
  
When the knock came, Hermione didn't know how long she'd been sitting here. Her bum hurt, which was at least an indication that she'd been here for quite some time.   
  
"Hermione, love, open the door." She heard Sirius from the other side of the door after a soft knock.   
  
She slowly stood up, wincing at the ache in her back. Next time use a cushioning charm, she berated herself silently. After a quick glance in the mirror, she deemed herself presentable enough to open the door. As soon as she unlocked it, the door opened, revealing a worried looking Sirius.   
  
"Are you-"   
  
"I'm fine. It's fine." She said, giving him a small reassuring smile. "Nothing to worry about."   
  
"You sure? I don't mind firing a hex or two," he said jokingly as she stepped out of the bathroom.  
  
"I have no doubt, but it's alright." She put her hand on his arm. "Ready for some adventure?" She said with a smile  
_  
_ "Darling, I'm a Gryffindor _and_ a Marauder. I was born ready. Are _you_?"   
  
"Did you forget with your old age, Padfoot?" She said with a grin as he scowled at her. "I'm a Gryffindor too, remember?"   
  
"I'm not that old." He said with a whine.   
  
"Sure, sure. Whatever you say," she said with a laugh, patting his chest.   
  
Sirius held out his arm in response, waiting for her to take it. She slid her hand through the opening and smiled in thanks. Sirius may always act like a goofball, but he wasn't an idiot. He knew something had happened when she had returned to the inn. Bad enough to have her hide in the bathroom. But, surprisingly, with him by her side she felt a lot more calm. She wasn't alone in this, anymore. So with a deep breath she calmed herself even more.   
  
Hermione may have felt a bit ashamed at her reaction, but she acted out of emotion, as she often did. She kept forgetting there was a lot on her plate and that it really wasn't that odd for her to respond like this, even if the people here, the shinobi didn't act the same way. She was going to be better, though. Stronger. She needed to be stronger. And with Sirius Black at her side, she was sure she would succeed.   
  
"Ready?" He asked.   
  
"Ready." _  
__  
_ “Let’s go on an adventure.” Sirius said as he pulled her along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So much has happened in this chapter, oh my! No Kakashi though, sorry! He'll be back in the next one, promise! :D
> 
> Please let me know what you guys think :D
> 
> Comments make me happy~!
> 
> Until next time!


	35. Finally

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! It's a tad bit earlier than planned, but I won't have as much time in the coming week. I didn't want to leave you guys hanging, especially not with _this_ chapter. So, I decided to upload it now.
> 
> This _does_ mean I can't be sure I'll be able to upload before next Saturday, but I'll try my hardest!
> 
> Also, I just have to say: 10.000 hits! OMFG. Thank you guys so much! It's been quite a journey up until this point and I'm happy I got to share this story with all of you <3
> 
> Anyways, I'm not entirely sure I'm okay with what I've written, but it is what it is. As always: apologies for any and all mistakes made in this chapter!
> 
> Either way, I hope you guys enjoy! <3

**Chapter 35: Finally**  
  
  
He couldn’t believe it. Hermione Granger walked into his bar. _Hermione bloody Granger_. In his wildest dreams he didn’t think he’d ever see anyone from the Wizarding World again, especially not someone he actually knew. When he had arrived here years ago, he’d honestly thought he had died. He _had_ been hit with the Killing Curse after all, right? Damn his cousin for firing that curse. Imagine his surprise, however, when he woke up in a field, carefully being shaken awake by a dark-haired woman.   
  
He had glanced at her, confused, before taking in his surroundings. He hadn’t expected this. Not that he knew what he had actually expected of dying. But being woken up like this, definitely wasn’t it. She had been talking to him, yet he hadn’t understood a word that was being said. She then had turned to the side, speaking to someone else, causing him to follow her gaze. There had been another woman there and Merlin’s beard, she was beautiful. He’d never seen anyone like her. To this day her image was engraved in his mind. The blonde woman had been carefully watching him as the dark-haired woman checked him over, not saying a word.  
  
Shaking his head, Sirius brought himself back to the present. He still couldn’t believe Hermione was here. He’d have to talk to her about how she got here. Had she fallen through the veil as well? Sirius still wasn’t entirely sure that had been the way he had gotten here, but honestly, was there another option? He had fallen through it, remembered all the whispers on the other side. He fully expected to become one of those whispers, yet everything had turned black instead. Damn it. He needed to stop living in the past. The present matters more now, especially since those damn shinobi’s ordered him to come with them.   
  
He glanced to the side, eyeing the shinobi that had been ordered to stay with him as the others left. Genma, right? He was a cocky bastard, that’s for sure. The way he held himself was very familiar to him, he acted the same way. Confident, fully trusting his abilities. Did he have experience with magic, he wondered? He was quite familiar with Hermione, it seemed. And none of the shinobi seemed surprised at their wands. Maybe they did know more.  
  
Once the arrangements had been made, Genma had led them through the different streets he had called his home for the past two years. The moment he walked into the room at the inn, he knew something was up. Hermione was nowhere to be seen, neither was Crookshanks. _“Where is she?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“She locked herself in the bathroom.”_ The guy with the green jumpsuit said, with a frown on his face.  
  
 _“What the bloody hell did you do?”_ He had to hold himself back to not start firing hexes for their incompetence. He knew he shouldn’t have let her leave with them. _  
_ _  
_ _“We needed to make sure she was telling the truth,”_ the boy supplied. _“So I asked her some questions. Apparently she didn’t like that, and now she refuses to come out.”_  
  
 _“Fuck,”_ he said as he scratched his cheek. _“Bathroom’s this way?”_ He said as he pointed to another room. With a nod from the shinobi, he made his way there while silently cursing the shinobi. There weren't any sounds that indicated she was upset, then again, he didn’t doubt she’d put a Silencing Spell up to keep them from hearing her.  
  
He knocked on the door, “Hermione, love, open the door.” He said, leaning against the door. He waited a short moment before the door unlocked. Of course he could’ve easily opened it, but didn’t want to upset her even further. The door slowly opened, revealing Hermione with flushed cheeks. He frowned at her, "are you-"   
  
"I'm fine. It's fine." She said, giving him a small smile that was no doubt supposed to be reassuring. He wasn’t reassured though, the dried tear streaks on her cheeks said enough. "Nothing to worry about."   
  
"You sure? I don't mind firing a hex or two," Sirius said in a joking matter with a small chuckle as she stepped out of the bathroom.  
  
"I have no doubt, but it's alright. Ready for some adventure?" She asked, looking up at him.  
  
"Darling, I'm a Gryffindor _and_ a Marauder. I was born ready.” He said with a drawl. He then looked at her, raising an eyebrow. “Are _you_?"   
  
"Did you forget with your old age, Padfoot?" Oh no, she didn’t. He scowled at that. He wasn’t old. Was he? He was only thirty-eight. "I'm a Gryffindor too, remember?"   
  
"I'm not that old." He said with a whine.   
  
"Sure, sure. Whatever you say," she said with a laugh, patting his chest.   
  
Sirius held out his arm in response, waiting for her to take it. She slid her hand through the opening and smiled in thanks. "Ready?" He asked.   
  
"Ready."   
  
“Let’s go on an adventure.” Sirius said as he pulled her along, going back to the others. He’d stick close to her, making sure no one would hurt her while he was there.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione had so many questions to ask Sirius. There just didn’t seem to be a right time to ask everything she wanted to ask. They’d have to stop during the night, she would have to use that time to ask some of the questions that were on the tip of her tongue. They had been walking for a good while already, mostly in silence though. Looking up at the sky, she noticed it started to get dark already. Glancing to the side, she studied the man. She knew he must have a lot of questions for her as well, but up until now he kept it light. Asking her about her time here, instead. About Konoha, what it was like. What she thought of it all.  
  
“It’s complicated.” She ended up saying. And it was. There was so much that had happened.  
  
“Complicated?” Sirius responded with a hum. “Well, it would seem I’ve got quite a bit of time on my hands at the moment. If you want to tell me about it.”  
  
“I don’t even know where to start.” She put a hand against her forehead.  
  
“I find that the beginning is usually a good place to start,” he said, bumping his shoulder against hers.  
  
“Funny,” she said dryly, rolling her eyes. She then thought about what the beginning of her tale was. Shit, she was going to have to tell him about Remus, wasn’t she? _Fuck,_ she’d have to tell him about Teddy too. And Tonks. And the war. Hermione slowed her pace before stopping entirely.  
  
“‘Mione?”  
  
“I have to tell you something. And- honestly I don’t even know how- I’m- Shit.”  
  
“Calm down, love.” He stopped in front of her, placing his hands on her shoulders. “Take a deep breath for me. Go on.” She did as he instructed, taking a deep breath before letting it out again.  
  
“It’s just- There’s so much you don’t know. So much I have to talk to you about.”  
  
Behind her she could hear Genma speaking with Itachi. _“We’ll stop for the night.”_ Itachi called out, studying both Hermione and Sirius. _“It’s a bit sooner than I had planned, but I understand you’ve got to talk.”_ With a nod, they walked a little while before reaching a place the shinobi were satisfied with. She reached into her bag and took out the tent. This time, Sirius helped her set it up.  
  
He let out a whistle as he walked in. “Not bad at all, ‘Mione.”  
  
“Arthur had lent it to me when-” Shaking her head, she didn’t finish her sentence. “I never got the chance to give it back.”  
  
Sirius sat down on one of the couches in the sitting area, making himself comfortable. All the while he kept his eyes on her. Letting out a sigh, she moved to sit across from him. Hermione fiddled with her fingers, a frown on her face. She appreciated that the shinobi stayed outside, even if she did know they could probably hear them. She contemplated putting up a _Silencio_ but knew that they probably wouldn’t appreciate that. They weren’t that trusting of her at the moment, save for Genma. She knew they would barge in the moment they sensed something had changed.  
  
“After you-” Merlin, couldn’t she even get this out of the way?  
  
“Fell through the veil,” he supplied kindly.  
  
She smiled in thanks, before her smile fell again. “Harry was inconsolable. He had just gotten to know you,” she said. They all had been sad, but Harry had it worse. He finally got something even resembling a family and then it was taken from him. Again. It was like the universe itself was fighting against Harry having a proper family. Which is why she was relieved he found someone in Ginny.  
  
“Yes, I imagine- it must have been very hard for him.” He said calmly. As she looked at him, she could see the hurt on his face as well. No doubt he missed Harry just as much as he was being missed.  
  
“Yeah,” she said softly. “A lot has happened since then.” She took another deep breath, calming her nerves. She’d be dumping three years of shit on him and she could only hope he was prepared for that. She was going to have to summarise everything and hoped he would wait until after for any questions. She doubted it, though. Hermione started talking about her sixth year at Hogwarts. Telling him about the death of Professor Dumbledore, before continuing on about the events that had happened since then.  
  
She explained in great detail about them moving Harry to the Burrow, that they had been betrayed, which had cost Moody’s life, as well as Hedwig’s. She then went on about the wedding of Bill and Fleur and the news that the Minister had been killed, which led to the three of them not returning to Hogwarts for their seventh year, but hunting Horcruxes instead.   
  
“Hold on,” he said, holding up his hand in confusion. “Hunting what? Horcruxes?”  
  
“Yes. Voldermort had created Horcruxes, splitting his soul into several pieces. Seven it turned out. We didn’t know about the seventh, until- anyways, I’ll get to that.” Hermione responded before continuing to explain what had happened, where they had gone and what Horcruxes they had found. She explained the whole thing. Their troubles, their findings. The battle at Hogwarts and about Harry turning out to be an accidental Horcrux, that he had gone and sacrificed himself but ended up alive somehow. About Voldemort’s demise, his body dropping dead on the school grounds. So many people had lost their lives during that war. So many good people had died. She shivered as she thought about all the bodies she had seen laying there. Lifeless. Soulless.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
“I still can’t believe you broke out on a bloody dragon. A dragon?! Are you mental?” Sirius exclaimed, looking at her wide-eyed after she had finished the story. “Merlin, Hermione. That’s bloody brilliant, that is. A fucking dragon,” he said as he fell back on the couch. “I wish I could’ve seen that. Merlin, I’d pay to see that. I don’t suppose you have a pensieve in that nifty little bag of yours?” Sirius jokily said, which made her pause.   
  
Pensieve, she thought. Remus had had a pensieve, hadn’t he? She remembered him saying something about that when she stayed with him. He had said that Andromeda had loaned him a pensieve to store memories of Teddy and Tonks in there, for when Teddy was older. Hermione was up on her feet a second later, grabbing her bag off the table and rummaging through it. The plastic bag containing all of Remus’ personal effects had sunk to the bottom of her bag. Once she found it, she slowly pulled it out, placing it on the table.  
  
“‘Mione,’ he started. “Is that Moony’s- it is, isn’t it? Why do you have Moony’s stuff in there?” She felt his eyes on her, making her bite her lip.  
  
“I- After the war and after having found my parents again, I went back to school. I wanted to finish my seventh year. So I did. Everything was different, of course. But it still felt like home. Hogwarts would always feel like home to me. During that time, I had a lot of contact with Remus. He was busy raising Teddy and was at a loss a lot of the time. So during the holidays, after I had spent some time with my parents, I spent time with them as well. We became quick friends. Anyway, at the end of the final term- I had just completed my N.E.W.T’s when I was called into the Headmistress’ office. Professor McGonagall told me there had been a fire at my house. My parents had been sleeping- they-” She couldn’t say it, shaking her head instead. It was weird that there were times where she could utter the words and times when she just couldn’t.   
  
“Shit, ‘Mione.” Sirius immediately got up and walked over to her, sitting beside her, knowing what she had been trying to say. There weren’t a lot of things she wasn’t able to say out loud. She felt him put an arm around her, pulling her towards him and she let him. She let him hold her, comforting her. “I’m so sorry, love.”  
  
“It’s fine. I mean, it still hurts, obviously. But, I’m dealing with it. After that I went camping. By myself. I needed to grieve, I suppose.” She said with a shrug. “It’s why I have this tent. Arthur had lent it to me after the funeral. Molly had been kind enough to stuff the cabinets full of food. There’s still so much food left.” Hermione let out a soft chuckle.  
  
Sirius hummed in reply. She was glad he was this supportive, thankful too. He had been nothing like she was used to, besides the comment about the dragon, of course.  
  
“But, yeah. After spending time in the forest, I made a quick stop at the Burrow for Ginny’s birthday and after that I went to Remus’ home. Like I said, he and I had gotten quite close after the war. After Tonks had died. He was a really good friend.”  
  
“Was?” Sirius softly asked. “‘Was’ a good friend? Not ‘is’?”  
  
“No, he-” Hermione moved away from Sirius’ hold. “I spend the night there. Until- There was an explosion. Remus and I rushed outside, Teddy in his arms. There were Death Eaters. They did something, Merlin, I still don’t know what, and suddenly we’re here. In another world.” She shrugged, shaking her head again as if she still couldn’t believe it. “We tried to get away, to Apparate, but we couldn’t. They chased us through a forest and once we had gotten out-”   
  
Tears fell down her cheeks at the memory of Remus’ face. The look of shock as he was hit with the Killing Curse. His lifeless body after he had fallen to the ground. She put her face in her hands. “They killed him,” she cried into her hands. “He was gone in an instant. He-”  
  
“They-” she heard Sirius breathe out. “Moony’s dead.” He said, sounding resigned. Next to her she felt him sag on the couch. “Fuck.”   
  
Hermione removed her hands from her face, wiping the tears. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to tell you like this. I wished I didn’t have to tell you this at all, but-”  
  
“I know, love.” He said, moving to wipe away her tears. “It’s not your fault. But- I have to know, ‘Mione.” She looked at him in question. “Teddy, is he-”  
  
“He’s fine.” She rushed to tell him. “He’s absolutely fine. Teddy’s back at Konoha, staying with the people who have taken me in for the time being and, blimey Sirius, he’s wonderful. You’re going to love him, no doubt.” She said with a smile. “He’s like Tonks, you know.”  
  
“He is?” He said in disbelief. “That’s brilliant.”   
  
Hermione moved her gaze from him back to the table, where the plastic bag still sat. She reached out and opened it carefully. Taking out the different items that were given to her. “Everything he had on him is in here. Besides his wand. They had taken mine and I needed one, obviously. I- something happened and I was attacked. My attacker took it and snapped it.”  
  
“It is what it is, love. We still have ours, right? So we’re not completely defenceless.” She locked eyes with him, he tried to tell her something through that look. Hermione could definitely guess what he tried to say. They had the possibility of wandless magic. She was able to do some small things without using her wand, but hadn’t properly practiced yet. It was something she would have to start practicing.  
  
“Right.” She said. “Anyways, you mentioning a pensieve actually helped me remember. He had mentioned that he had a pensieve in his possession, to store memories of Tonks for Teddy. I remembered seeing this small package but I hadn’t been able to open it yet.” Shuffling through the items, she revealed the small package. “I just don’t know _how_ to open it. Maybe you do?”  
  
“Well, let’s have a look then. Maybe I can figure out how he wrapped it up. If anyone knows, it should be me, hm?” Sirius said with a small smile as he took the package from her. She kept his eyes on him, wondering if he would be able to open it. If there was actually a pensieve in there, it would resolve so many issues. She could simply show the Hokage, so that he had to believe everything she had explained so far. The same could be said of Sirius. Seeing something would be so much different than just hearing the stories.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Kakashi was out of breath. Completely out of breath. It had been a long time he had been this out of breath. He and his team had been pushing themselves for the past six hours, running as fast as they possibly could. After leaving the Princess and her bodyguards in Waterfall, they had made their way back to the Fire Country, back to Konoha. On their way out of Waterfall, however, they had run into a group of missing-nin’s. Between the four of them, there was a chance that they would have been able to handle it. Probably. Kakashi didn’t want to take chances however, instead telling his team to move. He didn’t know if they were just there as a coincidence or if they had been after the Princess. He wasn’t going to take any chances either way.  
  
While they had been running, Kakashi had summoned Pakkun and the other dogs, ordering them to create a diversion. It had somewhat worked, only a few of the nin’s were following them now. He still wanted to get more distance between them and Waterfall. Suddenly there was a loud explosion right in front of them, forcing them to split up. Kakashi moved left, as did Tenzou. He sensed Yugao and Shisui going left. He didn’t want to exhaust anymore of his chakra, but it would seem he had no choice. His left hand moved to his headband, lifting it up to reveal his Sharingan.  
  
“Tenzou, you good?”  
  
“I’m good.” His kohai responded.  
  
With a quick glance towards him, he noticed Tenzou had already taken out a kunai, readying himself for any attack that would follow. From his left, he could hear both Shisui and Yugao fighting, metal hitting metal. Broadening his senses, he found it was going to be an even battle. Four against four. With a quick signal, he told Tenzou to take on the coming towards them on the far right. Without looking, he deflected a kunai that had been thrown at him, before turning to his attacker.   
  
The man facing him had a crooked grin on his face, which was covered in scars. “Hatake Kakashi,” he said with a smirk. “Oh, I’m gonna thoroughly enjoy decapitating you. There’s a nice bounty on your head.”  
  
“That’s some big words you’re using there.” Kakashi countered, twirling a kunai between his fingers. “Do you even know what they mean?” He moved into a defensive stance, ensuring he would be able to defend all angles but also counter when needed. He hated to admit he was too tired to go in a full attack. He’d manage, but he didn’t want to risk unnecessary injuries.  
  
“You calling me stupid?” The man hissed.  
  
“I don’t know. Am I?” Kakashi replied, sounding almost bored.  
  
“I’m gonna kill you!” The missing-nin roared.  
  
“You’re all bark and no bite, huh?”  
  
“I’ll show you!” He shouted before rushing towards Kakashi. Kakashi was all ready for it though. He honestly almost rolled his eyes at how easy it was to aggravate his opponent. Men like him were easy to manipulate. Jab here, insult there and before you know it, they weren’t thinking straight and attacking head on, leaving countless openings. For a missing-nin he was really very stupid.   
  
An arm swung at him, which he easily dodged. He bent down, feeling the air move over his head as the other man missed. He quickly sliced through one of the tendons in his leg, making him yell out and falter in his steps. With a quick turn on his feet, he kicked out his left foot, kicking at the knee of his uninjured leg. The man dropped to the floor, unable to keep standing. He scrambled for a kunai, but Kakashi stepped on his wrist to prevent him from doing so. He then grabbed that arm, turning the man on his stomach and placed his knee in the middle of his spine, making sure he was properly restrained.  
  
“Who hired you?” He asked.  
  
“I ain’t telling you shit,” the man spat.  
  
Kakashi then put a kunai against his throat, slightly pressing into the skin. It was enough to make him bleed. “I’ll only ask one more time before I kill you. Who hired you?”  
  
“Fuck you. That’s my ans-” the rest was garbled as the man choked on his blood. It wasn’t worth keeping him alive if he couldn’t get any information out of him anyways. He wiped the kunai on the man’s clothes before getting back up. From what he heard, Tenzou was already done as well, having his opponent trapped in his Mokuton contraption.  
  
“I’m going to check on the others. You good here?”  
  
“Yeah, he isn’t going anywhere, senpai.” Tenzou responded calmly, ignoring the shouting that came from the contraption.  
  
“Good. Stay sharp.” He said before jumping towards the rest of his team.   
  
He listened closely for any sounds and only heard some grunting but wasn’t able to properly discern who it was. Stealthily moving through the trees, he followed the sounds and spotted Yugao exchanging blows with one of the other nin. He dropped down, alerting her opponent and switching his attention to Kakashi, which allowed Yugao to knock him out. The moment she glanced at him he signalled her, asking where Shisui was. “Not closeby,” she answered. “Shisui lured him away. The guy was more interested in working together with this one.”  
  
“Fair enough. I’m surprised they managed to keep up with us, however. They weren’t much of a fight.”  
  
“It’s a bit odd, yes.”  
  
“It’s straight up weird, captain.” Shisui said as he landed next to them. “Mine’s dead. He wasn’t going to cooperate.”  
  
“Same,” Kakashi said with a nod. “Yugao, we’ll bring yours to Tenzou’s. See if the two of them will give us anything.”  
  
Yugao picked the nin up and slung him over her shoulder before jumping towards the area where Tenzou was waiting. Kakashi gave Shisui a quick look, checking for any injuries. He couldn’t see anything that seemed life threatening so he turned to jump after Yugao, sensing Shisui follow him as well.  
  
“Oh, you got another one?” Tenzou responded as Yugao dropped the man in front of him.  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“Tenzou, you know what to do. Yugao, stay with him. Shisui, with me. We need to check the area, see if we’re good to stay here for a bit.”  
  
“Yes sir.”  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Finally, he was back home. After the fight and the interrogation of the missing-nin, Kakashi and his team had a fairly uneventful trip back. During their way back, Pakkun and the rest of his pack had rendezvoused with them, reporting they had successfully shaken off their pursuers. With a pat on the head and a promise of some steak, he dismissed the ninken who disappeared in a puff of smoke.   
  
“I’d love some steak too, senpai.” Shisui joked. “I’m so hungry it’s not even funny.”  
  
“You’re always hungry, Shi. You’ll get over it.” Yugao retorted with an eyeroll.  
  
“Go eat after you’ve dropped those two off at T&I,” Kakashi said, dismissing them. “I’ll report to the Hokage. I want your reports first thing in the morning though.”  
  
“Sure?”  
  
“Yeah, go.”   
  
He waved them off as he made his way to the tower. He longed for a nice hot shower. And he’d definitely be lying if he didn’t want to go check on Hermione. He didn’t like being away from her for so long. Not to mention the spike he had felt when he was away. Something had happened. Something- no, someone had hurt her and he wanted to know who, so he could kill them or at least hurt them a great deal, making them pay for whatever it was they had done. With every day they were apart, he understood more and more that the bond was not something they should mess with. The hurt he had felt come from her and the way it affected him was proof enough of that.   
  
With a soft knock he announced his arrival at the office of the Hokage. After hearing his leader call him in, he opened the door and walked in. He knew he must look like shit, but he didn’t care. His mission had been successful. That was what mattered more than anything at the moment. That was, however, until he noticed the other occupants in the room, which made him stop walking.  
  
“Great timing, Kakashi.” The Hokage called out. “Please close the door behind you.”  
  
“Yes, Hokage-sama.” He replied. He turned to close the door and moved to stand next to Hermione. From the corner of his eye he saw her turn to him in question. With a small shake of his head and a nod to his leader he told her that they’d talk later.  
  
“Itachi, I expect a report on my desk tomorrow.”  
  
“Of course, Hokage-sama.”  
  
“Good, you, Gai and Genma are dismissed. Hermione-san and Black-san, please take a seat in the hallway for now. This shouldn’t take too long.”   
  
“Okay,” Hermione said with a nod. She flashed Kakashi a small smile, and whispered “I’m glad you’re back.” Before dragging along an older man who he’d never seen before.   
  
He let his gaze follow them as they walked out of the office. As soon as the door closed behind him, he turned his attention back to his leader, who had a knowing smile on his face. A second later, the smile disappeared as his face grew serious. “Report.”  
  
“Mission completed. The Princess has successfully been taken out of the Land of Snow.”  
  
“Good. Anything else?” The Hokage didn’t outright ask where they had taken her. Not that he knew where they were now, which was good. The less people aware of her whereabouts, the better.  
  
“On our way back, we were followed by a group of missing-nin. Nothing we couldn’t handle. We ended up capturing two of them but unfortunately they couldn’t tell us much. It seems they were low-level lackeys that were told that we were going to be there. My team took them to T&I for further interrogation.”  
  
“Very well. Good job, Kakashi. No injuries?”  
  
“Nothing but a few scratches.” The Hokage nodded at that, leaning back in his chair. “Sir? Who was the man with Hermione?”  
  
“Hm? Oh, that was a friend of hers. He’s someone she knew from the place she came from.” The older man said with a twinkle in his eye and a small smile.  
  
“He’s a bit old to be her friend, isn’t he?” Kakashi grumbled. “Hold on, he’s from the same place?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
The gears in his head started turning. What did this mean? Had she lied, then? If there was someone else here, who hadn’t arrived with her… “But I thought she said she didn’t know how she had gotten here. If he arrived here too, does that mean-”   
  
The Sandaime held up a hand, stopping Kakashi from finishing his sentence. “He’s been here longer than she has and has arrived in a different way as well. Both of them claim they have no knowledge of how to get back. Now, if you have nothing else to say about the mission that can’t wait, it’s best if I call them back in. We need to figure out what to do with Black-san.”  
  
Kakashi nodded as he looked down and heard the Hokage call both Hermione and the man back in. He felt strangely relieved at the thought Hermione had no way of going back home. He wasn’t sure what to think of the man, though. Knowing it was too soon to have an opinion on the matter. For now, he would have to observe and form an opinion on whatever would come to light.  
  
The moment he felt Hermione stand beside him, he looked up and turned to her. He met her gaze, which she returned with a small smile. It looked like there was something she wanted to ask him, but refrained herself as she turned back to the Hokage. He did the same. Reluctantly.  
  
“Black-san,” his leader started. “You said before you had proof of someone vouching for you, if you were ever to set foot in Konoha?”  
  
 _That_ was something Kakashi hadn’t expected to hear. The man had someone vouch for him? Who? Why? And more importantly, how? Had he forced them?  
  
“Ah, yes sir. I did. I have it right here,” the man - Black, he reminded himself - reached into his pocket and produced a small scroll, placing it on the desk. That scroll looked far too small to be something useful, it was only two inches wide. The man then pulled out his wand, which made Kakashi stiffen. Glancing at the Hokage, he noticed him warily regard Black as he pointed the wand at the small scroll. _“Engorgio.”_ He said, and not a second later, the scroll was a normal size. With a small nod, he put the wand away again, looking back at the Hokage.  
  
His leader tentatively reached out for the scroll, studying the seal which made him frown. “Hokage-sama,” Kakashi interrupted him. “Shouldn’t you let the intelligence squad take a look at that?”  
  
The Sandaime turned to him, with a smile. “What seal do you see here, Kakashi?” He asked instead. With a frown of his own, he looked at the seal. What the- “Exactly.” He replied. There was only one time he’d seen a seal that intricate. It was, without a doubt, Jiraiya’s seal.   
  
Realising this, he turned to the man standing next to Hermione. He never expected Jiraiya of all people to vouch for this man. If that were the case, he held this man in high regard. Enough so that he would vouch for a stranger, a foreigner, so that they were able to stay within Konoha’s walls. He glanced back to his leader, trying to read his expression as the man read the scroll but of course, he couldn’t. Kakashi schooled his own expression as well, as the Hokage met his gaze.  
  
“I will need to verify this.” He said, addressing Black.  
  
“Of course,” he said with a nod.  
  
“I’ll arrange for you to stay somewhere for the time being.”  
  
“Thank you, sir. That is very generous of you.” He easily replied. Kakashi was surprised at the way the man spoke and held himself. It was very unlike Hermione acted. Which wasn’t bad, by any means. Just different.  
  
“Kakashi,”   
  
“Yes, Hokage-sama?”  
  
His leader gave him a look. He knew that look, he thought with a sigh. Why was it _he_ had to open his home to a stranger, again? Honestly, Kakashi wanted to object more than anything. He didn’t know this guy. Then again, he didn’t know Hermione when she first came to stay with him. But he hadn’t agreed with that either, had he?   
  
“Yes, Hokage-sama.” He replied.  
  
“Good. That’s it for now. Dismissed.” His leader said with a nod. He gave Kakashi another hard look, before looking back down at the scroll in his hands. Kakashi turned without another word and walked out of the office, Hermione hot on his heels and the older man as well.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
 _“Kakashi?”_ Hermione asked as she caught up to him. _“What did he mean?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“He meant the same thing as he had with you.”_ _  
_ _  
_The same thing as he had with her? What did he- oh! _“You mean Sirius will be staying with you, then?”_ _  
_ _  
_Kakashi grunted in response, clearly not happy about this. She turned to Sirius instead, who followed them with a small distance between them. He flashed her a knowing smile, before shifting his eyes back at the back of Kakashi’s head. As she turned back to look at Kakashi, she suddenly stopped, seeing he had stopped walking as well. With another sigh coming from the silver-haired teen, he turned to her. _“This is taking too long.”_ He then turned to Sirius. _“Ever traveled through Body-Flicker?”_  
  
 _“Can’t say that I have,”_ Sirius replied with a frown.  
  
 _“You’ll learn. Don’t let go.”_ He said as he grabbed both Sirius and Hermione and disappeared from the streets. A second later they stood in front of the Hatake family home. He released them as soon as they landed and made his way inside.  
  
“He’s not a talkative lad, is he?” Sirius commented.  
  
“Not really, no. I’m sorry, I’m sure he doesn’t mean to.”  
  
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that, ‘Mione. He’s got a rather large stick up his-”  
  
“Sirius!” Hermione hissed. She couldn’t believe him. She needed to make him understand that it was not a good idea to anger Kakashi. After all, if anyone knew what he was capable of, it’s her.  
  
“Relax, ‘Mione. It’s all good.”  
  
 _“Are you going to stand there all day?”_ Kakashi asked, leaning against his open doorway. Hermione didn’t like the way he was acting, not at all. It was like their last meeting hadn’t even happened. Merlin, it was like they were back to square one.  
  
 _“My apologies,”_ Sirius supplied. _“I wasn’t sure if you wanted me to come in without an invitation.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Hokage’s orders.”_ Was all Kakashi said before he disappeared back into the house.  
  
“Yeah, charming lad.” Sirius mumbled. “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow, ‘Mione. I’d love to meet little Teddy.”  
  
“Of course,” she replied with a smile. “I’ll make sure he’s on his best behaviour.”  
  
With a wave, Sirius turned around and followed Kakashi into the house. Hermione waited outside for another moment. She really wanted to speak with Kakashi before going back to the Yamanaka residence but she wasn’t sure if now was the right time. “Why do I even bother?” She murmured. Turning around, she made her way back to the center of the town, determined to go back home when suddenly her arm was grabbed and she was whirled around, facing Kakashi once again.  
  
 _“Where are you going?”_  
  
 _“Home.”_ She replied curtly.   
  
_“You’re not going back there by yourself. Who knows who you might run into.”_ Kakashi stated.  
  
 _“And that’s any of your business, how?”_ Hermione was fairly certain the anger she felt was coming from him, rather than coming from herself. Once again she was reminded of their bond and how it affected the both of them. The way her arm tingled at the feel of his touch. Kakashi didn’t respond to her question, which she was glad for. She hadn’t meant it. _“You’re wearing the scarf,”_ she said instead, changing the subject.  
  
 _“Yeah, I- thank you, again. It’s been very helpful.”_  
  
She smiled at him as she touched the edge of the scarf, working it between her fingers. Hermione was glad she decided on gifting the scarf, voicing her thoughts to him. As she moved her hands over the scarf, surprised that Kakashi was even letting her do it, she paused and frowned at what she saw. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing, retracting her hand as if she was burned. _“I can’t believe it.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“What?”_ Kakashi replied, confused.  
  
 _“Did you have fun on your mission?”_ She asked instead, eyes hard. She was not going to cry about this.   
  
_“I wouldn’t call it fun,”_ he replied. _“It was a mission, not a vacation.”_ She wasn’t going to cry. _  
_ _  
_ _“Right. Well. You should head back inside. I can get myself home.”_ She was _not_ going to cry.  
  
 _“Are you deaf?”_ He asked instead. _“I just told you, you’re not going home by yourself. I’ll take you.”_ He reached out again, trying to grasp her, but she wouldn’t let him as she took another step back.  
  
 _“No, thank you, Kakashi. I can easily get myself home without running into anyone.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“What is your problem?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“My problem?”_ She called out, a lot louder than she intended. _“My problem is that I can’t believe I thought you were any different.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“You’re not making any sense,”_ he groaned. _“What the fuck did I do this time, huh?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“You’ve got lipstick on the bloody scarf. It’s even on the side of your neck!”_ She called out. _“So, I’m_ sure _the mission wasn’t fun at all.”_ Before Kakashi could reply to that, she continued. _“Don’t. It doesn’t matter. It’s my fault for thinking you were any different. Well, I refuse to be one of many. I learned my lesson the first time and I’ll pass, thank you.”_ She turned around and started walking away from his home. She couldn’t even look at him without thinking about the kiss on her cheek. Damn it, all that time she spent worrying. _  
_ _  
_ _“Hermione-”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“You know,”_ she said, facing him again. _“When you kissed me on my cheek, you had me believing you liked me. Like, that you actually_ liked _me.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Hermione, please just liste-”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“I can’t believe I fell for that.”_ Again, she turned around. She said what she had needed to and was done with it. She just wanted to go home, have a nice hot bath and forget about all of this. _  
_ _  
_ _“Goddamn it, Hermione.”_ Kakashi said as he stepped up to her far more quickly than she had expected. She felt him grab her, turning her back around to face him and before she could utter another word, his lips were on hers.   
  
Her eyes were wide in shock, looking at Kakashi as he kissed her. His eye was closed, a small frown was on his face, from what she could see. It all seemed very hesitant, like he didn’t know if he should be kissing her. It took a second longer for her to process what was happening, before she tried to push him away. He went rather easily, which surprised her. Hermione couldn’t believe he did that, that he kissed her and _Merlin’s beard_ , Teddy had gotten it completely right, hadn’t he? Now seeing Kakashi’s face, or most of it since a part was still concealed behind the headband, she wondered what made him cover it up in the first place.   
  
She was breathing hard, as was he. But she didn’t stop him when he approached her again, softly cupping her face in both of his hands. He looked her right in the eye and softly placed his forehead against hers. _“Whatever it is you think I did, I swear to you, I didn’t. I- I can’t tell you about the mission for obvious reasons, but I didn’t do anything like that.”_ She barely understood anything he was saying. His touch was intoxicating, heightened by their bond, no doubt. It was clear she wasn’t the only one that was affected by it, yet it seemed Kakashi was more in control of himself.  
  
He slowly moved to kiss her again causing her to close her eyes in anticipation, his lips barely touched hers but it was breathtaking either way. His nose softly touched hers, making her breath hitch. She felt him move back, his hands still on her cheeks. Neither said anything and she opened her eyes in confusion, wondering what was going on. The moment she did, her eyes locked onto his. _“Hermione,”_ he said in a near whisper. _“What is this? Is this- is it because of the bond?”_ _  
_ _  
_She didn’t think it was. Somehow, it didn’t feel like it was. Everything felt heightened, sure. But it was as if the bond only heightened what was already there. Which meant- she really did feel like this, didn’t she? And that meant he did too? _“No,”_ she said just as softly. _“No, I don’t think it is.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Good.”_ A second later he was kissing her again, this time purposefully, not at all like the first time he kissed her. This time, she too let herself get lost in the feeling and kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck. Somehow, knowing this wasn’t the bond made it all the more real for her. Made it easier for her to accept. This was something that wasn’t influenced by the bond, not in that way. This was something that was within them, something they could decide for themselves. And, Merlin, it was good. For someone with such an attitude like him, he sure knew how to kiss.  
  
Kakashi let out a soft groan as she kissed him back, moving his hands so that one was on the back of her neck and the other was on her lower back. Turning her head, she felt his tongue trace her lips, asking for entrance which she gladly obliged to. Kissing him was rather addictive, she found after only having done so once before. She felt his arms tighten around her, prompting her to do the same as she stood on her tiptoes and held on to him.  
  
 _“Now, now, kids. Don’t forget to breathe.”_ Sirius’ voice piped up from behind them. Hermione’s eyes flew open, watching Kakashi do the same as she stepped away from him, a hand in front of her lips, her face no doubt flushed. She was breathing hard, as she looked past Kakashi to see Sirius standing there with a shit-eating grin on his face. It gave Kakashi the time to pull up his mask, which he had clearly done as he turned to glare at Sirius.  
  
 _“So sorry about that,”_ he said, sounding completely unapologetic. _“But I’m quite hungry and there doesn’t seem to be any food in the house.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“I’ll go to the market, after I’ve had a shower.”_ Kakashi offered. _  
_ _  
_ _“Actually,”_ Sirius glanced at Hermione now, making her flush once again. _“I’d also like to meet my little cousin as well. Maybe we can arrange something where I can meet him, as well as get some food?”_  
  
 _“Uh, I guess. Look, I really need to take a shower, before we do that. I’ll take Hermione home, she can inform the Yamanaka’s and we’ll meet up in an hour. Sounds good?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Works for me,”_ Sirius said with a nod. “See you in a bit then, ‘Mione. Behave yourself, hm? I don’t think I’m ready to see little Grangers walking around just yet.” He said, switching to English.   
  
That bastard, she thought as she shot him a glare before watching him walk back inside. She turned back to Kakashi, starting to say she really _could_ take herself back. _“I don’t want to hear it.”_ He said instead. He took her arm, far more gentle this time around and flickered away, appearing in front of her home. _“I’ll, uh, see you in an hour then?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Yeah,”_ she breathed, _“I’ll see you in an hour.”_   
  
_“Okay,”_ it seemed he didn’t want to leave her, it felt that way at least, which was a feeling she hadn’t expected. She flashed him a small smile and dared to move her hand to the edge of his mask. She moved slowly, giving him all the time to pull back if he so wished. When he didn’t move, she grasped the edge of it and slowly pulled it down. Stepping closer, she tiptoed in front of him, placing a soft kiss on his lips before pulling the mask back up.  
  
 _“This is going to change everything, isn’t it?”_ He asked.  
  
 _“It doesn’t have to, I don’t think. We’ll just have to see where it leads us.”_ _  
_ _  
_Kakashi didn’t say anything in response, instead cupped her cheek again, his thumb caressing her cheekbone. _“I’ll see you in an hour,”_ he then said. “And I should probably tell your friend I speak English too.”   
  
“Merlin, please don’t mention that. That was so embarrassing,” she said as she covered her face with her hands. She heard Kakashi chuckle, making her glare at him halfheartedly as well. He gave her a mock salut before he disappeared in a puff of smoke. With a shake of her head, she turned towards the front door, a smile still on her lips as she thought about everything. Well, if there was anything she could conclude from this, is that her life was anything but boring. Walking inside, she took off her shoes. _“I’m home!”_ She called, making her way to the kitchen where she could hear Ino talking. And she was. She was home. For now, at least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that happened :')
> 
> Please leave a comment and let me know what you guys think!
> 
> Until next time!


	36. What do we do now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovelies! I'm baaack! I didn't forget about you!
> 
> I'm so terribly sorry for disappearing on you guys, even if I did warn you in advance :')  
> While I thought I'd only be away for a week, it turned out to be close to a month. I could tell you all about what has happened, but I don't want to bore you guys with the details. You're not here for that, eh? xD
> 
> As always, please ignore any and all mistakes. I wanted to get this out as soon as I could, so I may have missed a couple more than usual. 
> 
> My plan for this chapter was to make it a big one, but I'm afraid that didn't work out the way I intended. Either way, it's still pretty long so I hope you guys enjoy!

**Chapter 36: What do we do now?  
  
  
** Hermione let out a relieved sigh as she stepped out of the bathroom. She was happy she was able to freshen up a bit after all of the traveling. It gave her some time to think as well. The kiss she shared with Kakashi was something that kept playing through her mind. Her fingers touched her lips softly, remembering the feel of his lips on hers. Never in a million years had she thought that he would kiss her. Not like this.   
  
Hermione really wasn't sure what to think of all of this. She could logically explain all of this to them being bonded, for better and for worse. In her gut, however, she knew it wasn't all because of the bond. There was physical attraction as well, undoubtedly for the both of them, if his reaction was anything to go by. But still…   
  
All of this bothered her more than she had expected. Kakashi had kissed her, but she wasn't sure why. He had been frustrated with her when she had been angry with him. Accusing him of using women left and right. It had been wrong to accuse him of that. Who was she to demand all that? In all honesty, she'd been jealous. Did she have any right to be jealous however? Then again, did he have a right to just kiss her like that?   
  
Rubbing her temple as she walked towards her room, she let out a soft groan. This was all so confusing. She would definitely need time to think all of this through. Because despite her accusations, Kakashi didn't seem like the kind of guy that would just kiss a girl once for the hell of it. He seemed like the kind of guy that would be invested in a relationship, if he would choose to have one. The question was; was she open to that? Was she willing to have a relationship with someone she met only a few months ago? Was she willing to start something that would be incredibly intense due to their bond, when she wasn't sure if she could stay? Then again, would she be able to leave? Hermione didn't know nearly enough about the bond to know if someone could live apart from their other half. If that wasn't the case, it would make things that much more complicated for her. For them.   
  
With another sigh, one that was nothing like the one before, Hermione grabbed her clothes and got dressed. She dreaded going back downstairs, not at all ready to see Kakashi again. Or Inoichi for that matter. When she had gotten home almost an hour ago, he saw something had happened immediately. She didn't even have to say anything, somehow he just knew as he smirked at her.  _ "Had fun?" _ He had said knowingly. Damn that guy. He was way too observant. After quickly explaining that she had someone coming over with Kakashi in an hour for some food among other things, Inoichi stood up and said that he'd take care of it and ushered her upstairs, telling her to clean up. He didn't ask anything else, although she had a feeling he did know who to expect.   
  
So here she was, sitting on her bed. Acting like a bloody teenager, which she  _ was _ , she was very much aware that she was, but this part of being a teenager she wasn't familiar with. Hermione had no idea what to do with this. No idea how she was supposed to act around Kakashi now. This was going to be awkward as hell. Damn it. She didn't want this to be awkward. She didn't even want to think about this, there was already so much to think about. So much to work through. Shaking her head, Hermione stood up and steeled herself, before opening the door and walking downstairs. The sight before her, made her stop. What the- How in the world did Inoichi manage this? And in one hour?!   
  
The man in question looked up as she entered the living room, _ "ah, Hermione! Right on time!"  _ He said with a smile. His smile fell from his lips as he looked at her.  _ "What's wrong?"   
  
_ _ "What's wrong? How did you manage to do this? In just an hour!" _ Hermione looked around the room, wide-eyed. It was that she knew he didn't know how to use magic, otherwise she'd blame it on that. The dining table had been moved to the side and it was chock-full of different trays of food.   
  
_ "I called in a favor, is all." _ He said with a small shrug and a wink.   
  
_ "Not with Shikaku this time, I'm sure." _ She responded with a raised eyebrow.   
  
Inoichi laughed at that,  _ "no, not Shikaku. I fear I actually owe  _ him  _ a favor after that meeting the two of you had." _ He shook his head while still smiling.  _ "No, Chouza this time. Remember him? From your birthday?"   
  
_ Her mind went back to the party they had thrown her. It had been a lot bigger than she had expected, but she did remember who he was talking about. Akimichi Chouza had been another family friend, along with Shikaku. From what she had gathered, they had known each other since they were kids.  _ "I do. It's hard to forget a man like him," _ Hermione replied with a chuckle. It was quickly clear to her that Chouza was a very wise man. Maybe not as intelligent as Shikaku was, but whenever he said something it was clear that everyone listened. Including Shikaku. And that meant a lot, she was sure.  _ "So, the favor was to arrange some food?"  _ She hardly thought that was all.  
  
_ "Ah, well. Initially, yes. But Chouza refused to let me just have some food, insisting his wife would make more and inevitably inviting himself and his family over as well. Which meant I had to invite Shikaku as well, who's bringing his family too and- I may have gone a bit overboard."  _ Inoichi said sheepishly.   
  
_ "You  _ may _ have?" _ Hermione asked incredulously.  _ "Just a tad, Inoichi-san." _ As Hermione shook her head with a smile, a knock was heard.   
  
_ "You mind?" _ Inoichi asked as he nodded towards the door while still working on the room to make it presentable.   
  
_ "Sure," _ she said as she made her way to open the door. Opening the door, she paused at what she saw. Or who, more like. _ "G-Genma-san? What are you doing here?"  _ Hermione stammered as her gaze fell on Gai and Itachi.  _ "What are any of you doing here?"   
  
_ _ "Well, we heard something about a party. So we figured we'd come as well!" _ Genma said as he easily walked past her, ignoring her baffled expression.   
  
_ "Please excuse our intrusion, Hermione-san," _ Itachi said with a bow.  _ "But we  _ were  _ asked to come."  
  
_ _ "Right," _ she said slowly.  _ "By who, if you don't mind me asking?" _   
  
_ "Yamanaka-san." _ The young Uchiha responded. His answer didn't make sense at all, however. Why would Inoichi invite them? What was he up to? Before she could even question his answer, however, Gai stepped forward.   
  
_ "This is such a joyous day, my dear friend! Thank you so much for the invitation!" _ He exclaimed.   
  
_ "But I-"  _ once again, her protest went ignored as both Gai and Itachi made their way inside. At least Itachi had the sense of offering her an apologetic smile and a nod before slipping past her.   
  
What on earth was going on?   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Kakashi jumped into the shower the second he got home, ignoring his unwanted guest roaming around his house. As he scrubbed the sweat and grime from his body, he tried to stop his mind from wandering. He was entirely unsuccessful, of course. It hadn't been his first kiss, not at all. But it had been the first he had voluntarily given. The others had been on missions. It was one of his least favorite kinds of missions and he avoided them as much as he could.   
  
He hadn't meant to kiss Hermione. Not at all. While he knew that it was something that would maybe have happened somewhere along the line, with the way they had been acting around each other, but not at all now. Had he even wanted to do it, now that he thought about it? Had she? Hermione hadn't pushed him away. She had even continued the kiss, so he figured she did. But maybe it had been as overwhelming as it had been for him. And if that was the case, what would she think about it now? And honestly, did he even care?   
  
No, he didn't, he told himself. He didn't care. Even if a little voice in the back of his head said he was most definitely lying to himself, he still didn't care. Kakashi couldn't afford connections like this. The fact he got himself bonded to her had already been something that was too dangerous in his line of work. It was a liability. Something that could and probably would get him killed and that wouldn't do. So now what?   
  
Well, first things first. Meeting up at the Yamanaka residence so that Sirius can meet Teddy. He still wasn't sure about the man, or about his relationship to Hermione. Really, he hardly knew anything about it. Kakashi got out of the shower and dried himself, wrapping his towel around his waist as he moved to his bedroom. Once dressed, he tracked down the wizard who was patiently waiting in the living room. The item in hands made him pause, however.   
  
"You have a kid?" The man asked.   
  
_ "No." _ Kakashi figured now was a good time to let the man know he spoke English as well.  
  
_ "Whose is this, then? If you don't mind me asking." _ He didn’t blink as he too switched back to English.  
  
Kakashi didn't answer straight away, instead keeping his eyes on the item in his hands. It was one of the blocks Teddy had played with. Hermione must've left it in her hurry to leave his house. That thought triggered the memory of that night. He still felt bad about that. She shouldn't have had to deal with that, not after everything else.   
  
_ "I think it's Teddy's," _ he ended up replying. Kakashi was glad he managed to keep his voice level, not giving any of his feelings away.   
  
_ "Teddy? But Teddy lives with Hermione. And she doesn't live here."  _ Sirius concluded easily with a raised eyebrow.   
  
_ "No, she doesn't." _ Kakashi responded, stopping himself from saying "not anymore".   
  
_ "But she used to stay here?"  _ He guessed. Kakashi didn't respond to that, knowing Sirius already knew the answer to that.  _ "Yeah, I figured as much. Your reaction at the, uh, Hokage's office was kind of telling."  _ The silver-haired teen watched Sirius as he walked around, tossing the block up in his hands several times and catching it again.  _ "I'm guessing her leaving your house wasn't planned either. I mean, I know 'Mione. She doesn't seem like the kind of person to leave stuff behind if she knew she was leaving."  
  
_ Kakashi didn't particularly like where this was going. It was quite clear that the man wasn't stupid. He paid attention to his surroundings and was able to deduce this much from only a block. Well, not just a block, but the guy didn't necessarily have a lot to work with either way.   
  
_ "Look, kid." _ Kid? Really?  _ "I know you and I don't really know each other, and that's absolutely fine. But let me just ask you something." _ Sirius said.   
  
_ "Ask me what?"   
  
_ _ "How do you feel about slugs?"   
  
_ What?  _ "Slugs?"   
  
_ _ "Mhm, slugs. How do you feel about them?"   
  
_ _ "Well, I don't particularly feel anything about them." _ Kakashi said slowly, not entirely sure on where this was going.   
  
_ "Hm. That's a shame." _ He responded lightly. _ "Well, let me just say, that if you ever hurt 'Mione, I'm gonna make sure you're gonna be feeling  _ something  _ about slugs. And it ain't going to be good. You hear me?" _ Kakashi had never in his life come across a civilian who came across in a way that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. But Sirius managed to do just that, with a threat that didn’t make any sense on top of that. Of course, Sirius wasn't a normal civilian, but still. He'd have to watch his own back around the guy.   
  
_ "Noted."  
  
_ _ "Good! Now. I'm still starving, so let's go get that food." _ He said with a wide smirk.  _ "Lead the way!"   
  
_ Oh, yeah. He was definitely going to be watching his own back around him. This man was cunning as fuck.   
  
_ “Sure. Give me a second and we can go.” _ He said as he turned away, walking back into his bedroom. He was not going to leave without his weapons, not a chance. He should’ve really paid more attention to Sirius though. It was a mistake he was going to regret.  
  
He wasn't sure what to expect when he got to the Yamanaka residence, but it sure as hell hadn't been this. Had he missed a memo? Then again, his mind was still back at the house. It turned out the man was a lot smarter than he had given him credit for. And very crafty. He shuddered just thinking about it.   
  
The moment he appeared in front of the house with Sirius, he was greeted by his team. Shisui, Yugao and Tenzou looked at him as he walked up to them. "Ah, boss, you're here! Ready for the party?"  
  
"Party? What the hell are you talking about? What's going on?" He asked, looking at Tenzou. At least Tenzou would give him a straight answer.   
  
"We received an invite for a party from Inoichi-san."  
  
"Wait. There's actually a party? For what?"   
  
"I'm not sure, he didn't say. Just asked us to be here at this time," Tenzou said as he shrugged.   
  
"Told ya there was a party," Shisui said, giving Kakashi an unimpressed look, which Kakashi pointedly ignored.   
  
"Have you knocked yet?"   
  
"Not yet," Yagao responded this time as she turned to knock on the door. "We felt you coming, so we decided to wait."  
  
"No, you deman- Hey!" Kakashi smirked as Yugao elbowed Shisui to shut him up. He should know by now not to piss Yugao off.   
  
A moment later the door opened to reveal a flushed Hermione. "Oh! He really went all out, didn't he?" She said with a sigh, putting a hand against her forehead. "Come on in," she then said, sounding resigned, moving to the side to allow everyone to pass.   
  
As Kakashi stepped up to her, she avoided his gaze, her face turning red. Oh. Right. He cleared his throat awkwardly, "hi."   
  
"Hi."   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione met his gaze for a second before looking away again. Get it together, Hermione! Stop acting like a stupid teenager, she told herself. It didn't help that Kakashi was pretty much acting like that as well. This was so-  
  
"This is nice and awkward." Sirius commented from behind Kakashi. "Well, go on. Move out of the way so I can meet my little cousin, will ya? I'm not getting any younger over here." Sirius stepped up to them and pushed himself past them, "oh, and don't forget about the slugs, brat." Sirius told him in what seemed to be a warning.   
  
Hermione watched as Kakashi glared at him but didn't respond. Both Hermione and Kakashi watched Sirius move into the house.  _ "What was that about?" _ She said, looking at him.  _ "And what the hell happened to you?" _ He looked terrible. What had happened to him in the time they had been apart?   
  
_ "...I hate him. So much."  
  
_ Hate him?  _ "Who? Sirius?" _ She asked in confusion.  _ "Why? What did he do? _ "   
  
_ "It doesn't matter what he did." _ Kakashi snapped at her, annoyed.  _ "But honestly,  _ how  _ can you stand him?"   
  
_ Hermione let out a laugh at that, shaking her head. She remembered feeling the same way about Sirius when she was younger. She knew, like no other, that Sirius  _ could _ be a man-child.  _ "He's a bit of a handful, I admit. Trust me though, he'll grow on you. Kind of like a fungus, I suppose." _ She joked. She almost felt sorry for Kakashi. Almost.  _ "Anyways, let's go see what this party is about, because I haven’t a clue." _ She said with a light chuckle as she grabbed his arm and dragged him along with her.   
  
Once she entered the living room again, the room was filled with all the people she had met up until this point. Kakashi's team, the team she went on a mission with, Chouza and his family and Shikaku with his family as well. Of course Sirius, Teddy and Inoichi's wife and daughter were there as well. It was quite a gathering.   
  
_ "Alright, may I have your attention everyone?" _ Inoichi called out, turning everyone's head towards him. _ "Thank you so much for coming, I know it's a bit last minute, for which I apologise." _ He cleared his throat, before he continued.  _ "I have some news I'd like to share with you- I mean, we have some news." _ The man's gaze fell on Hermione with a gentle smile.   
  
_ "Before I share this news, however, know that this is an official request from the Hokage. He's giving every single one of you special clearance in this situation." _ Inoichi looked at all the shinobi in the room, one by one. Hermione knew they all took this very seriously though, so she was sure there wasn't anything to worry about with them.   
  
_ "As you all know, we have quite a special young lady in our midst." _ A blush appeared on her cheeks at that. Did he really have to word it like  _ that _ ?  _ "Due to her extraordinary abilities, it's no surprise that there are certain people who are interested in her and Teddy. These are people from outside Konoha, but also inside Konoha. To make sure they will be protected from all of that, we decided it would be best to have a clan take them in, to at least make sure they're protected for the political side of things as well." _ Hermione had a hard time understanding what he was saying. Well, she understood it. She just hadn't expected it to be this soon. Had the paperwork already been approved? It would seem so.   
  
_ "Simply put, I hereby introduce to you: Yamanaka Mai and her adopted son Takeshi." _ Then, every eye in the room turned to her, making her blush even more. Did they really have to stare? She met Sirius' gaze first, wondering what he thought of all of this. Hermione hadn't gotten the chance to tell him about officially being taken in, only that she had been staying with a family. And she was now legally the mother of his cousin. His blood. Any worry she had, however, dispersed as he smiled at her. He wasn't mad, even seemed happy for her. It made her feel so relieved.   
  
That relief was short-lived, however, as a surge of anger came from her left, followed by betrayal and then hurt. Turning her head, she glanced at the source of those feelings. Kakashi didn't meet her gaze, didn't move at all, in fact. Was he even breathing? She became worried when she didn't see any indication of him taking a breath. This wasn't good.   
  
While all this was happening, Inoichi continued. _ "Of course, she will still be known as Granger Hermione to us. But for everyone else, outside of this group, she's now officially a Yamanaka and thus under the protection of our clan." _ As Inoichi finished his speech, because that's what it turned out to be, really. Everyone stayed quiet, processing the information.   
  
_ "This is wonderful news!" _ Gai exclaimed, a fist in the air, being the first to break the silence. Then, slowly, everyone else reacted to the news. All of it was positive and supportive. All but one. Hermione had kept her eyes on Kakashi the whole time, praying for him to look at her, but he didn't. Instead, as Chouza raised a glass for a toast, he turned in his heel and swiftly walked out of the room. Hermione didn't hesitate to follow him, determined to find out what was wrong with him.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Sirius looked around the room, taking in all the different people. He knew the three men that had escorted Hermione and himself to Konoha. A blonde man who was speaking with two other men he had never seen before, seemed to be the one to own this house, if the pictures he had seen had meant anything. Glancing to the side, he noticed four children playing with each other. The smallest he recognised easily, that would be Teddy. Surprisingly he did look a lot like both Remus and Tonks, despite being able to change his face features. Hermione had told him he had accidentally changed his face a couple of times, which was why she had put a glamour on him, keeping his features the same. The other three kids seemed to be the spitting images of the blonde man and his friends. Interesting.   
  
As soon as Kakashi and Hermione joined everyone in the room, the owner of the house started speaking. He tuned out when the man warned the group, knowing he was pretty much in the same boat as Hermione, so he didn't care for any warnings about selling her out. He wouldn't. Instead, he took this time to observe everyone. He was very well aware that every single one of them were doing the same to him, albeit a bit more subtle. Which was fine. His presence would be mentioned sooner or later.  
  
Glancing at the silver-haired teen he had to suppress a smirk. Poor lad hated his guts, no doubt. Well, at least he would think twice about hurting Hermione, wouldn't he? It wasn't that he did anything that resulted in permanent damage, what he did was just enough to issue his own kind of warning. That one shouldn't mess with him. Or Hermione. Sirius knew he was determined enough to follow through with any and all warning he issued. And cunning enough to do it in a way that he wouldn't get into trouble for it. He was a Black, after all.   
  
Tuning back into the small speech the blonde man was giving, he heard the man introduce Hermione and Teddy as Mai and Takeshi. He had to admit, it was a smart decision. During his time here in the Fire Country, he had learned that while shinobi protected the lands, the politics ruled them all. If word got out that there were people here that had the ability to use magic, no doubt the higher ups would want it in their possession. Giving her a name from a clan that was well-respected, it gave her a lot of protection. Any movement made against her, would anger the entire clan. And in turn, anyone who took their side.   
  
Hermione met his gaze, looking uncertain. Surely she didn't think he'd be mad about any of this? This was a good thing. It would keep both her and Teddy safe, which was exactly what he wanted. He smiled at her reassuringly, to which she smiled in return, looking relieved. Sirius turned his attention to the teen with the bowl cut. While he didn't understand some of the outfits the shinobi wore, he definitely didn't understand the green jumpsuit. The kid seemed incredibly enthusiastic, all the damn time. But he did seem genuinely happy for Hermione, which was good.   
  
From the corner of his eye, he noticed Kakashi leave the room, Hermione hot on his heels. He contemplated going after them, but before he could make the decision, the blonde man approached him, followed by the two other men.  _ "We haven't met. I'm Yamanaka Inoichi," _ the blonde man said.  _ "These are Nara Shikaku and Akimichi Chouza." _ Both men gave a nod at the mention of their name.   
  
_ "Black Sirius," _ Sirius responded easily.  _ "Although I'm quite certain you already knew that."  
  
_ _ "We did. You're a friend of Hermione?"   
  
_ _ "Something like that, yes."   
  
_ _ "And you are like Hermione?" _ The man to his left, Shikaku, asked.  _ "You have the same abilities?"   
  
_ _ "Yes and no."  
  
_ _ "Meaning?"  
  
_ _ "Meaning we are each our own person. She's better at some things, I'm better at others."  
  
_ _ "But the basics are the same for the two of you."   
  
_ Sirius turned to the turned man, a large man. Chouza, if he had heard right. He didn't ask a question, however, so Sirius didn't answer, only met his gaze. The three of them knew each other well, he noticed. Trusted each other as well. This knowledge eased his mind a bit more, knowing Hermione and Teddy would definitely be in the right hands during their stay.   
  
_ "Shiranui." _ Chouza then said. Making Sirius and the other two turn to look at Genma.   
  
_ "Chouza-sensei! How's it going?"   
  
_ _ "Genma, a word?" _ The older man said, not responding to Genma’s question. With a nod to Shikaku and Inoichi he moved Genma to the side. Before Sirius could listen to anything that was being said, Inoichi spoke up.  
  
_ "So, given your connection to Teddy… I can't help but wonder how you feel about Hermione being Teddy's legal parent. I mean, you're related by blood, aren't you?" _   
  
_ "I am, yes. He's my cousin."  
  
_ _ "But you're not upset about-"   
  
_ _ "No," _ Sirius immediately responded.  _ "Don't get me wrong, I feel very protective of him, and Hermione as well. Especially now that I know they're here. But… trust me when I say that I'm not father material. So I think it's for the best that Hermione takes up that role, seeing as she's willing and able."  
  
_ Inoichi gave him a smile,  _ "I'm very happy to hear that. I'd hate to come between any of that."  
  
_ _ "No worries," _ he shrugged. _ "Besides, I'm more of a fun uncle." _ Sirius said with a chuckle.  _ "So it'll be fine, I'm sure. Anyways, I'm absolutely famished, so I'm going to grab a bit of food before finding Hermione and meeting Teddy. Please excuse me."   
  
  
  
_ -  
  
  
  
Unbelievable. Un-fucking-believable. He wasn't even sure why he was so mad. No, that's a lie. He knew why. She hadn't told him anything about it. You'd think this was something worth mentioning, right? He'd think so.   
  
"Kakashi, please wait a moment."   
  
He didn't. He kept walking, he needed to get out of this house, it was suffocating. The smell of slugs still lingering around him didn't help either. Kakashi passed one more room before he found the door leading to the garden. As soon as he stepped outside, he released the breath he was holding as he leaned against the railing of the porch. He knew he would have to talk to her, in a normal way. While he was mad, she deserved that at least, didn't she? Did she even realise why he was so angry?   
  
"Kakashi?"   
  
"I'm not really in the mood, Hermione." It was years of training that made him keep his voice level. He didn't dare to look at her, though. He could already feel her confusion and a little bit of hurt, no doubt due to his reaction. If he were to look at her, he'd lose his grip on his emotions.   
  
"I'm sure you're not." She said instead, moving to stand beside him. "But- please just talk to me. Don't you think that's something we've learned up until now? That it's better to talk it out?" She bumped her shoulder against his softly and from the corner of his eye he could see her watching him.   
  
"You didn't." Kakashi responded, "you didn't talk to me."  
  
"I- yeah, you're right. You're right. In my defence, I only learned about Inoichi-san's intention to have me become a part of his clan after you left on your mission. And when you returned… well, I was a bit distracted." She explained, ending with a nervous chuckle.   
  
Kakashi snorted at that. " _ That's  _ an understatement." Hearing that she hadn't known calmed him down, luckily. He couldn't blame her for not saying anything before, could he? She was right. They both were a bit occupied at that moment. There was still another thing that bothered him, however. He'd seen the way she looked at Genma, and how she gave him a smile in return. "What about Genma?"   
  
"What  _ about  _ him?"   
  
"You seemed awfully friendly towards him." He hated to admit it, but that stung. Kakashi was still very much pissed at him. Genma would have to really show he was sorry and mean it, before he could even begin to forgive him.   
  
"So, what? You're worried that I'm going to run off with him? That he successfully persuaded me and that I realised it's  _ him _ I want to be with?"   
  
No. He wasn't. Was he? "What are you- No. Don't be ridiculous." He denied.   
  
"I'm not the one being ridiculous with his assumptions, Kakashi." He didn’t need to look at her to see the disbelief on her face.  
  
He held in the sigh that threatened to come out. "Last I saw you, you were just as angry with him, and now the two of you were fine? What he said was  _ not  _ okay. So, no, you can't blame me for thinking-"   
  
"I went on a mission with him, Kakashi." She explained. "I had to spend time with him. Quite a bit as well. So I figured it was best if we cleared the air, so to speak."  
  
Kakashi hummed at that but didn't respond. He wouldn't have, he knew. He would just treat it like any other mission and would keep his mouth shut. Then again, he wasn't at all like Hermione. Still, he couldn't help but be angered by it. It felt as if what Genma had done hadn't mattered to her.   
  
"Kakashi, I don't understand why you're so upset with me. I mean, we had quite the shouting match, actually and- wait, are you pouting?"  
  
"What? No."   
  
"Yes, you are. You  _ so _ are."  
  
"Don't be-" Before Kakashi could finish his retort, Hermione had reached out and pulled his mask down. He didn't even bother to stop her. She'd seen his face already.   
  
"See?" She said with a small smirk and poked his bottom lip. "That's a pout, right there."  
  
"Stop it," he half-heartedly swatted her hand away which made her laugh.   
  
"Or what?" Hermione said, a dare clear in her voice. She moved to poke his lip again, but before she could he had grabbed her wrist, skillfully turning her towards him and trapping her between him and the railing they had been standing against.   
  
He could feel her excitement through their bond and he'd be lying if he didn't feel that same excitement. It was so weird. Earlier that day he had decided he wouldn't do this. Yet, standing here, he couldn't imagine himself not doing it. While he thought it wasn't the bond that caused this, he couldn't help but wonder if it did influence them. Was it their own decision, then? He didn't know. But standing here, in front of her and having her so close, he couldn't help but not care about any of that.   
  
Kakashi moved to cup her cheek and his stomach fluttered at the sight of her moving her cheek against his palm. He leaned closer to her, dipping his head down. His lips grazed hers and he moved to press his fully to hers...  
  
"I apologise for the intrusion, Kakashi-san, Hermione-san."  
  
For fuck's sake, Kakashi thought. He placed his forehead against Hermione's, closing his eye. Hermione stood still, giving him the chance to get it together, which he appreciated. He really needed a moment before he would snap at the person interrupting them, which wouldn't be a smart move, considering  _ who _ it was that had interrupted them. Sucking in a breath, he opened his eye and shot Hermione an apologetic look. She simply smiled in return, a blush visible on her cheeks.   
  
"Kakashi-san, if you have a moment, Genma needs to speak with you."  
  
Swiftly pulling his mask back up, he turned to Chouza in confusion. "About what?"   
  
"I think you know. I spoke with him. He has shamed himself with his actions. It's disgraceful." Kakashi knew Chouza used to be Genma's sensei, Gai's as well. He knew what kind of man he was and him saying that what Genma did was disgraceful, meant Chouza was genuinely disturbed by what had happened. The fact that Chouza knew about it, wasn't sitting well with Kakashi though. He knew Hermione wouldn't speak up about it, so it had to have been Inoichi. He'd have to keep this in mind. Having his personal life discussed wasn't something he was thrilled about. There was a good reason he was a private person.   
  
"I don't-" Kakashi started as he felt Hermione move behind him.   
  
She rested her hand in his shoulder, giving him support without saying a single word. "I think it's a good idea, Kakashi." She said softly. "He's your friend, isn't he? Give him the chance to apologise. You can always decide if you want to accept afterwards."  
  
"Fine. Yeah, okay. I'll talk to him."  
  
"Thank you, Kakashi-san. Shall I send him out?"   
  
Kakashi nodded and watched Chouza walk back inside to get Genma. Turning his head to the side, he watched as Hermione smiled at him. She leaned against him, placing her cheek against his upper arm. "You'll be fine." She assured him. "Just hear him out. He  _ is _ sorry, y'know? That much I know." Hermione stood back straight and kissed his masked cheek. "Do whatever feels right. Okay?"   
  
He didn't know what to say to that, not expecting her to be like this. To be so supportive. They had never been in a situation like this but he had to admit, he didn't mind this feeling. Feeling cared for. Supported. Not alone.   
  
Hermione patted his arm softly before moving back inside, giving him some privacy for his conversation with Genma. He turned his back towards the door, hopefully making it less awkward for either of them.   
  
He knew the moment Genma came outside. Having been on so many missions with the guy, he didn't even have to think and he knew. "Hey," Genma said as he stopped next to him. Kakashi gave him a sideways nod in recognition. He wondered how he would do this. What he would say. And most of all, would he be able to forgive him? Time would tell. Kakashi just knew that he wasn't sure if he could.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
As Hermione walked back inside she passed Genma. He barely looked at her as he passed. He did look extremely nervous and she couldn't blame him. It's easy to tell someone to apologise, but actually doing it? Admitting your faults? That took guts.   
  
"'Mione! There you are! Done with snogging the brat, are you?" Sirius teased, making her groan. "I think it's about damn time I get to meet my little cousin, don't you think so?"   
  
"You're incorrigible, Black." She replied with a roll of her eyes.   
  
"It's my charm, 'Mione. You know that."  
  
"Oh, shut it." Hermione playfully swatted his shoulder. "Come on then, mister charmer. See if you can charm Teddy into liking you."  
  
"I could-"   
  
"No. No magic in front of the kids." Hermione quickly hissed. As she dragged him along with her, towards Teddy and the other kids. "It's one thing that the shinobi here know, but it's still not-"   
  
"Oh relax, Granger. I was just messing with you." He said as he squatted down next to the kids. Hermione did the same.   
  
_ "Hey kids, you mind if I steal Teddy for a minute. I want him to meet a friend of mine."  _ The three kids didn't seem to care much, but Ino gave her a pout. She winked in response and promised to bring him back to her shortly. She loved the fact that Ino was so fond of Teddy. She truly acted as if she was his big sister. It was adorable.   
  
"Mama!" Teddy happily called out to her. Oh, how she had missed her little boy. She was going to spend a lot of time with him, she promised herself.   
  
"Yes, Bubba. That's right. Mama wants you to meet someone." She was a bit nervous about Sirius meeting Teddy, which she knew was unnecessary. She knew Sirius and trusted him. But still. Teddy was now officially her son. The need to keep him safe only grew with that. She'd have to make sure that Sirius behaved himself. That would be a challenge in itself. Hermione had no doubt in her mind that it would be harder to keep Sirius in check than to do so with Teddy. But all in all, watching Sirius look at his little cousin. She couldn't help but feel relieved. She truly wasn't alone anymore. Wasn't the only person to use magic. Yes. They would be just fine, the three of them. She'd make sure of it. As long as she figured out what their place would be in Konoha. But that was something she'd worry about tomorrow. Today, Teddy would meet his cousin and she couldn’t wait to see how he would take that.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't forget to leave a comment, they make my day! :D
> 
> Until next time!


	37. Familial Connections

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovelies!
> 
> The week has ended, so it's time for a new chapter!  
> I hope you'll enjoy this one. It's got a little surprise for all of you :D
> 
> As always, please excuse any and all mistakes.
> 
> On to the chapter, enjoy!

**Chapter 37:** **Familial Connections**  
  
  
There were a lot of words to describe Shiranui Genma. Tokubetsu jonin, confident, loyal, trustworthy, outgoing and cocky were a few of them. Recently, the words asshole and dick had been added to that mental list. Nervous wasn't one of them. There had never been a reason to describe Genma as nervous. Especially since he had always been very confident in his abilities and in himself. The Genma who stood next to him at the moment was definitely nervous though. His nervousness was easily noticed as well. Couldn't stand still, his fingers were twitching and his heart was racing. All of them tell-tale signs.  
  
Kakashi didn't say anything, keeping his eyes forward as he leaned on the railing. It wasn't up to him to start. It was up to Genma and he was patient enough to give the man time to get his shit together to do so. He'd wait. He wanted to hear what he had to say. If he ever got to that point, he thought with a mental eyeroll. Right now, he was more worried that the man would faint.   
  
It surprised him, the moment Genma stepped away from his side, making him turn his head. What he saw next, made him raise his eyebrows towards his hairline. _What_ was he doing?   
  
"Wha-"   
  
"I sincerely apologize for my words and actions. I shouldn't have said any of it. I wish I could take it back but- I'm really sorry, Kakashi. Please accept my apology." Genma said as he bowed down on his knees, hands placed in front of him and his forehead touching the ground.   
  
Kakashi couldn't do much more than stare at the man on the ground before him. Knowing Genma, he had actually expected a half-assed apology with a smirk on his face. Hell, he'd expected a lot from him. But not this. He had expected anything but this.   
  
"Genma." He said, his voice firm. It took a few seconds before the brown-haired man sat up, meeting his gaze. "Stand up.” He all but ordered. “Please." Frankly, it was making him uncomfortable. He wasn't used to people treating him like that. He was respected, sure. But no one had ever apologized like Genma just had.   
  
Genma raised his head to look at Kakashi as he leaned back. He stood up shortly after, stuffing his hands in his pockets and moving the senbon in his mouth awkwardly. Both men knew that the ball was in Kakashi's court now. It was just that he wasn't sure how to respond to this. Most of the anger had mellowed before Genma started talking, the fact that he came to apologize already meant a lot. After the actual apology, the anger had become even less. It was still there, but not as bad as it had been before.   
  
In any other situation he would've waved it off, said it was alright and had gone on with his life. Either that or he would've ignored it. But this was different. He'd never had someone he considered a friend do this. So what did he do now?   
  
_"You can always decide if you want to accept afterwards."_ Hermione had said. She was right. He didn't have to accept the apology. He didn't have to forgive him straight away. It wouldn't be what Genma would want to hear, but he'll have to deal with that. Kakashi just couldn’t. Not yet.  
  
"Thank you." Kakashi said. "For the apology."   
  
"I was a dick. And an asshole." Genma said, shaking his head. Kakashi in turn chuckled at that.   
  
"That's exactly what I thought."  
  
"Of course you did. What else did you think?"   
  
"That being both a dick and an asshole, you could go fuck yourself." Kakashi supplied dryly.  
  
The tense air completely disappeared as Genma responded with a snort. "Why am I not surprised?" He joked.   
  
"But," Kakashi swallowed. He didn't want to say this, he really didn’t. He needed to, however, for his own sanity. "While I do appreciate you apologising to me. I- I'm not ready to forgive you. Not yet."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"And that means that, for now at least, I can't let you back on the team." Kakashi knew he couldn’t. Their entire teamwork relied on them trusting each other. And with this between them, he couldn’t ensure them being able to work like they always did.  
  
"Right." Genma sounded defeated at that.   
  
"I'm s-"   
  
"Don't. I deserve it. Actions have consequences." Genma said. "Besides, I don't have time for that, right now."  
  
"What do you mean?" Had Genma been assigned to another team? He hadn't heard about that if it was the case.  
  
"The Hokage assigned me to another job for the time being." He shrugged as he said it. "For… Punishment."  
  
"Oh?" Kakashi raised his eyebrow at that.   
  
"Yeah," It would seem Genma wouldn't give him any more information than that. Which he would respect. At least until he spoke with the Hokage. He was sure their leader would want to be informed about this.   
  
"Right, well. If that's all. I should head back inside." Something told him Hermione needed him. And it seemed he and Genma were at least somewhat okay at the moment. It would have to be enough.   
  
"Sure, yeah. I'll come with."  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione carefully eyed Sirius as he played with Teddy. Of course, the little boy easily took to his older cousin. She hadn't expected anything else. Teddy was very intuitive and knew Sirius was a good man. She smiled as Teddy giggled and chattered away.   
  
"Are you alright?" Inoichi asked softly in English as he came up behind her. She turned to him and gave him a smile as well.   
  
"I'm a bit tired, if I'm being honest. But other than that.. Couldn't be better." She said with a smile.  
  
"Sorry about the party," he said sheepishly. "The timing wasn't that good for you, I know. I just-"   
  
"Please, Inoichi-san. It's fine."  
  
"Just Inoichi. We're family now, after all, Mai-chan." He said lightly.   
  
Hermione rolled her eyes as she chuckled. "I'm surprised the paperwork went through as quickly as it did, though."  
  
"Well, it would seem the Hokage is quite fond of you too." Hermione frowned at that comment. Surely the Hokage hadn't pushed the paperwork through simply because he liked her? Then again, she was happy either way. This saved her a lot of trouble. It gave her some room to breathe. While she was certain she would still look over her shoulder at every possible moment, she wouldn't have to do so within the walls of the Yamanaka compound.   
  
"It would seem so." She replied after a moment. She had turned back to watch her, now, son. Hermione still couldn't believe it. She was a mom now. A mom. Shit. What if she wasn't a good mom? What if she screwed up? Hermione knew she had done alright, up until this point, but this was a human being. A child that would now, up until their adulthood, look to her for answers. For guidance. And what if she didn't have any answers? Couldn't guide him?   
  
Before she could go into full-blown panic mode, Kakashi appeared next to her. The effect of his presence was instantaneous. He didn't touch her, but he didn't need to. Him standing close to her was enough. She slowly released the breath she was unconsciously holding in, giving Kakashi a sideways smile in thanks. He raised an eyebrow in question, to which she softly shook her head, silently telling him she was fine. Kakashi looked at her a moment longer, before frowning and switching his gaze to Sirius.   
  
"How'd it go?" Hermione asked softly. She knew he could hear her either way and she didn't want anyone else to join the conversation, which is why she spoke in English. She also knew everyone within hearing range, in this case Inoichi, Shikaku and Chouza, would be polite enough to pretend not to hear anything.   
  
"He apologised."  
  
"And?" She pressed when Kakashi didn’t continue.   
  
"And I told him I couldn't forgive him yet." Kakashi said after a pause. Hermione could feel guilt coming from him. She softly touched his hand to comfort him.  
  
"Please don't feel guilty for not forgiving him. It takes time. Once you're ready, you'll be able to. And it'll mean a lot more to him then. Because then you'll mean it too."  
  
Kakashi didn't respond, but took her hand in his and gave it a small squeeze before letting go again. She understood it was hard for him to accept that, but she was immensely proud of him that he chose not to forgive him straight away, which meant he listened to his heart and knew he wasn't ready. He would be, she knew, he just needed a little more time.   
  
Seeing Kakashi intently watching Sirius and Teddy, she turned her head as well. Hermione wasn't surprised that Sirius was looking at them, what _did_ surprise her was _how_ he was looking at them. He seemed to be contemplating something, but she wasn't sure what. Before she could speak up, Teddy demanded his attention again, which he gladly gave. He was really doting on the boy. It reminded her to keep an eye on Sirius. She would need to make sure he wouldn't go overboard in his ways of entertaining the boy.   
  
Hermione was pulled from her thoughts when Sirius stopped in front of her to hand Teddy to her.   
  
"He's whining, but I'm not sure why. Kept calling for you, too. So, here ya go, mum." Sirius explained as he pushed Teddy into her arms with a smirk.   
  
Looking down at the boy, she realised what was up. She could _smell_ it. Bloody man. Didn't know why? Right. She gave him a look and rolled her eyes at her grin. "You do realise you're going to have to do it at some point, Sirius?"   
  
"Not a chance, love. I'm the fun uncle, remember? I don't do diapers."  
  
Hermione turned without another word and carried the boy upstairs, while softly cooing him. She was actually glad to hold him again. To spend some time with just him, again. Placing the toddler down on her bed, she accio'd all the necessities for the change. "Alright, Bubba. Let's see how bad it is."  
  
"Poo!" Teddy responded.   
  
"Oh, I know there's going to be poo, bub. It's kind of hard to miss," she said with a chuckle. "Ugh, I can't wait until you are potty trained though." She said with a scrunched up nose. Grabbing a few wipes, she cleaned Teddy up before placing a new diaper around him, carefully fastening it. "Alrighty! All ready to go!"  
  
Teddy gave a laugh in reply, clapping his hands. She couldn't get over the fact that he was such a happy child. Her heart warmed at the fact. There was no doubt in her mind that she would do anything to make sure he never lost his happiness. Of course she knew it was impossible to stop him from getting hurt, mentally or physically. But Merlin, she'd try.   
  
Hermione played with Teddy a little while longer, simply enjoying having just him hear her. She ignored the fact that there was still a party going on downstairs. A room full of people she barely knew, save for Sirius. They would just have to do without her for a few more minutes. It reminded her of the parties she had celebrated with her friends. It was nothing alike. She missed them. So much. Surely they had realised she was missing, right? Would they be able to find her? Hermione hoped they didn't think she would just take off. Which made her wonder. Were they even looking for her?   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
"Anything?" The question was asked in a desperate sounding way. And he was. Desperate, that is. He'd been working on this for months.   
  
"No, nothing."   
  
"Damn it. This is impossible. It's beyond impossible! Where the bloody hell could she have gone? And without a word too! How the hell did we miss this?"   
  
"I don't know, Harry. I wish I knew. I just hope she's safe." Ginny stood next to her boyfriend, placing a hand on his arm, trying to calm him down. He appreciated the sentiment, but he was incapable of calm at the moment. His best friend had been missing for months.   
  
"Surely she's alright, right? I mean, it's 'Mione we're talking about. She's brilliant. She'll find a way to contact us, I'm sure." Ron was right, she _was_ brilliant. But he knew that Hermione wouldn't do anything to worry them. She would've told them if she was leaving for a longer period of time, right?   
  
"It just bothers me she hasn't already. It's been months!" Harry stood up and shoved his chair away. They had been using Grimmauld Place as their headquarters, once again. Their mission this time? Finding Hermione. Who had disappeared without a trace.   
  
"And you're _sure_ no one has seen her? Have you tried asking everyone?" The question came from Neville this time. Harry looked at his friend as he paced around the room as well. The moment he and Luna had learned of the disappearance of their friend, they agreed to help.   
  
"I contacted everyone who I thought she was speaking to. I even owled Krum, but he hasn't replied back. After her parents died, she kind of closed herself off, y'know? So it's hard to figure out who she was speaking with and who she hadn't seen in a while." Harry explained.   
  
In fact, he hadn't even known who she had and hadn't been speaking to. After she had gone back to school, he threw himself into work. Being trained as an Auror had taken a lot more of his time than he had expected. Any free time he had, he'd spend with Ginny. Shit. Maybe that was why she had left? Because they hadn't been there for her?  
  
"Okay, wait. Let's rethink this, make sure we haven't missed anything. She came to my birthday and left a week after that. Did she tell anyone where she was going next?" Ginny started.  
  
"Not that I'm aware of," Harry said. "But in all fairness, I was paying more attention to you." From the corner of his eye, he could see Neville leave the room.  
  
"Ew, guys, please. Can you please not do this with me here? I'm her brother, Harry!"  
  
"Oh, sod off, Ron. Deal with it." Ginny shoved her brother in annoyance.   
  
"I thought she mentioned applying for a job at the Ministry?" Luna supplied. "She said on your birthday that she would go there in a week. Which means she would've gone somewhere else for a few days before going to the Ministry."  
  
"Alright. But where?"   
  
"Guys! I got an owl from the Headmistress!" Neville walked back in, carrying a barn owl.   
  
"McGonagall?" Harry asked. "Why would she owl us?"   
  
"I figured that the Headmistress would have a little insight on Hermione's whereabouts. She's seen her more often than we have this past year." Neville explained with a shrug.  
  
"Of course. We didn't even ask her. How could we be so stupid?!" Harry groaned. "What did she say?"   
  
"She said she hadn't heard from Hermione since she had graduated." Neville mumbled a little as he read the rest of the letter. "Oh! Oh? Hermione had been writing Remus? I didn't know she kept in contact with him?"   
  
"Yeah, after Tonks- Hermione took it upon herself to check in on him regularly. But-" Harry said, he scratched the top of his head. "Wait, did we hear from Remus?"   
  
"I don't remember getting a response from him." Ginny said with a frown.   
  
"Let's go check his house then. He lives in a cottage in Yorkshire."  
  
The group put on their coats and once done Apparated from Grimmauld Place. Harry was the first to arrive. Eyes wide at the sight of the cottage that once belonged to Remus.   
  
"Merlin's beard." Ginny breathed next to him.   
  
Harry swallowed down the bile rising in his throat. This wasn't good. At all. How did they miss this? "Spread out." He ordered. "Look for anything that doesn't belong."  
  
Every single one of them moved into action. While Luna, Neville and Ginny weren't Aurors, they knew what to do. Quickly searching for any clues as to what happened here and where Remus and Teddy may have gone. Ron paused next to him. "We should probably call this into the office. Kingsley might have an idea. Maybe he's heard something."  
  
"Can you go do that?"   
  
"You got it. Let me know if you find anything." _If you find anyone_ went unspoken, but Harry knew what Ron had meant. If anyone had been inside before the fire started, there was a chance they hadn't gotten out in time.   
  
"Of course." And with a nod, Ron Disapparated.   
  
Harry moved towards the cottage, carefully moving as not to touch any part of the structure. He was surprised how much of it all was still standing. Seeing it from the outside made him think the inside would be completely destroyed. Most of the books hadn't survived the fire, logically. Everything else looked properly burnt.   
  
Turning to the bedrooms, he paused at the first one. This was a guest room, he remembered. He had stayed here a few times when he visited Remus and Teddy after the war. This room was mostly untouched by the fire, it seemed the worst bit was at the front of the house.   
  
He turned to move towards the other rooms as something caught his eye. A jacket. He knew that jacket. He also knew that jacket did not belong to Remus and- No. Bile rose into his throat again, but this time he couldn't swallow it down. Turning his head just in time, he fell to his knees as he vomited, tears appearing in his eyes. It was Hermione's. She _had_ been here. Shit.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
"Thanks for coming, guys." Hermione said with a small smile. She was tired, he could tell. Then again, a lot had happened, once again. This time it wasn't all bad, but that didn't mean it wasn't exhausting.   
  
Kakashi stood to the side as he watched his team, Itachi, Gai and Genma say their goodbyes. He would meet up with them later but had to make sure Sirius was back at his place first. Speaking of Sirius, he was the last to leave the house, softly speaking with Inoichi as he stepped out. His attention moved from the men towards Hermione as she stopped next to him. "Well, that was interesting." She commented softly.   
  
"That's one word for it." He said in return, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Listen, about your birthday-"   
  
"Oh, I already said it was alright, didn't I?"   
  
Kakashi tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. "Yes." He said. "But I, uh, I got you something. I don't have it on me, I didn't think-" He cleared his throat awkwardly. Why did he always sound like a fucking child? It was like the moment he was near her, the connection from his brain to his mouth stopped working properly. "Anyways, maybe you could come by later so that I can give it to you? You could even bring Teddy. It'll keep Sirius busy." He ended with a knowing look. He wasn't below admitting he'd like some time alone without interruptions for once.   
  
Hermione grinned at him and he had a feeling it had more to do with his insinuation and stuttering than the fact that he had a gift for her. "I'd like that." She replied. "And Sirius could definitely use a bit of a distraction." She rolled her eyes at that. "Teddy needs a nap first, though. So maybe tonight?"  
  
Kakashi nodded at that. "Tonight works."  
  
"Great, I'll see you then." Hermione smiled up at him. A bit of alone time sounded good. They still had so much to work through.  
  
"Are you lovebirds done with making plans?" Sirius drawled from the side.   
  
"Would you stop that?" Hermione scolded him as she swatted his arm. "Enough already."  
  
"Come on, 'Mione. You know me. I'm not someone to just take orders like that." Sirius said with a pout, which he was way too old for.  
  
"Funny that you're saying that, Padfoot. Isn't that what dogs do?"   
  
Kakashi wasn't sure what was happening, and really didn't know what to do with Hermione's comment. What was with that nickname? And thinking about it, Sirius did have an odd smell to him. Not at all completely like a human normally smelled. It reminded him of the Inuzuka, surprisingly. How odd.   
  
Sirius stepped up next to Kakashi, slinging an arm around Hermione's shoulder. "Not this dog." He said with a wink. "Alright, brat. I'm ready to go back."  
  
Kakashi just rolled his eye at that and cocked his head and nodded in the direction of his house. He figured they might as well walk. It wasn't that far and he didn't feel like using chakra to bring them back to his house. He'd also be able to get a better feel for the man this way.   
  
Both men were silent while walking. Kakashi kept an eye on the man next to him, but the older man wasn't fazed at all. He walked at a relaxed pace, hands in his pockets. It wouldn't surprise Kakashi if he would start whistling, he seemed so relaxed. Only five minutes after they left the Yamanaka's did Sirius break the silence.   
  
"So. You and Hermione are close, hm?"   
  
_Well, duh_ , is what Kakashi wanted to say. After all, the man had seen them kiss, had he not? He didn't know about Hermione, but he didn't go around kissing every woman he came across. "What gave it away?" He replied dryly, deciding not to deny anything.   
  
"A lot, actually."   
  
That got his attention. A lot? "Oh? Such as?"   
  
"Hah, got your attention, did I?" Sirius gave him a smirk. "Well, the snogging was obvious. But other than that…" He hummed, seemingly deep in thought. Kakashi didn't pry, yet he was quite curious what the man had seen. He wondered if Sirius could even give them some insight in the bond he shared with Hermione. Did the man even know? He couldn't be sure if Hermione had said anything to him, then again, surely Sirius would have mentioned something before.   
  
"How do you feel, when you're around her?" Sirius then asked, which made Kakashi snort.   
  
"You don't actually think I'm going to answer that, do you?" There was no way in hell that he was going to tell Sirius. He barely knew the man.  
  
"Right. Right, yeah. Of course. You shinobi don't talk about feelings. Merlin forbid, you would realise it's actually healthy to talk about your feelings." He said with a sigh.   
  
"What the hell do you know about what shinobi do or don't do?"   
  
"I've been here quite a bit longer than Hermione has, brat. Surely, the Hokage has told you this."  
  
The man needed to _stop_ calling him a brat. "Right. You met Jiraiya-sama. How _did_ you manage to get a letter of recommendation from one of the Sannin?"   
  
Sirius chuckled at that. "That's quite a long story. I guess the short version of that story is that I saved his life." Kakashi's head whipped to the side in shock. _This_ man saved Jiraiya's life? _How?_ "It can't be that surprising, Kakashi-san. After all, you and I both know what kind of trouble he gets into from time to time. I've seen the books."  
  
Ah, yes. He did have a point there. Jiraiya did have a reputation of being a pervert and has been kicked out of a lot of bathhouses. Still, Kakashi was sure most of it was an act. He didn't believe that he wasn't able to dodge any and all hits he received. Someone as legendary as him? It made him wonder what kind of trouble he had been in, for Sirius of all people to come to his rescue.   
  
"Back to you though, you and Hermione. What gives?"   
  
"It's complicated," Kakashi answered with a sigh. And it was. To this day, he still didn't understand all of it and frankly it pissed him off.   
  
"All relationships are, mate. Trust me on that."  
  
"What about you?" He figured now was as good a time as any to ask about his connection to Hermione. "You and Hermione, I mean. How do you know her?"   
  
The only answer he got was a raised eyebrow and a smirk. He rolled his eye in response to that. "Just answer the question, Black-san."   
  
"Hm, well. We're from the same place, obviously. Also, she's my god son's best friend and she pretty much saved my life the same day that we met."  
  
"Saved you? How?"   
  
"By being a bright little witch, of course. But I'll let her tell you that story. I was unconscious for a part of it."  
  
Kakashi just stared at the man. Sirius had a way of speaking in a vague manner, never really answering in a proper, understandable way. Then again, he wasn't all that different, was he? He was known to be cryptic as well, not answering when questioned.   
  
When he arrived at the house, he let Sirius inside. "I need to make a few arrangements, regarding my team. I'll leave Pakkun here for emergencies but I shouldn't be longer than an hour or two."  
  
"Pakkun?"   
  
"Yes." Kakashi punctured his thumb and went through the necessary signs before placing his hand on the ground. With a poof of smoke, the pug appeared.   
  
"What's up, Boss?" Kakashi signaled him to follow him for a bit, making sure Sirius couldn't hear them.   
  
"Please keep an eye on the house and Sirius. I'll be back in two hours tops. Also, he smells off. Try to find out why."  
  
"Like how _you_ smell off?" Not now. Damn the dog and his nose. He should’ve known.  
  
"That's not what's important right now. But he is different. He smells like a dog, but I haven't seen one near him the entire time. So the smell shouldn't be this strong. Investigate, will you?"  
  
"You got it." The pug answered in reply. With a nod to Sirius as well, he flickered away.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
 _"So. You're a talking dog, eh?"_ Sirius wasn’t sure if the dog spoke English, so it was best to speak his native tongue.  
  
The pug turned its head and fixed him with a bored stare that he easily copied with a raised brow. The staring continued for a few minutes before the dog sighed and stood up.   
  
_"I'm not a talking dog, human. I'm a ninken."_ The dog, sorry, _ninken_ moved towards him and sniffed. _"You don't smell like a normal human, though."  
  
_ _"Well, I'm not a normal person."_ Sirius drawled. Because while he was one in his own community, he knew he wasn't here.  
  
 _"I don't mean that. I know about your kind. Boss' lady friend has the same kind of smell. But even taking that into account, you smell off."  
  
_ Damn. His nose was really good, wasn't it? So far he'd gotten away with being an Animagus. Hadn’t even changed in a long time. No one had realised, and no one knew besides 'Mione. But it seemed this dog knew something. Was that what the brat had been speaking about to him? Had he known something too? Sirius was aware of shinobi having other talents than fighting. Some had better hearing, others had better eyesight. And some, some had a better sense of smell. Was Kakashi one of those?  
  
 _"I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
_ _"Don't bullshit me. Why do you smell like a dog?"_ Ouch, talk about blun _t._ "I will find out. So you might as well just tell me before I make you."  
  
 _"Is that so? Well, I'm not going to tell you anything, mate."_ Like hell that Sirius was scared of a little pug. But, damn. He hadn't expected the pug to be as quick as he was. Then again, he should've known. One second the pug was standing before him, the next he saw a mouth full of canines come for his leg. Now, he could've easily stunned the dog, but he wasn't sure how Kakashi would react. He _was_ sure the Hokage wouldn't be amused at that. The other option was to let the dog bite him, but he didn't feel like getting hitten, honestly.   
  
So he opted for a third option. Not ideal, but he supposed the dog would get its answers, wouldn't it? It had really been a while since he had done so, so the feeling of his body changing felt a bit odd. He felt his bones shift, as well as his insides. It had never been a pleasant feeling, transfiguring oneself. But to him, feeling like this meant freedom. So while it physically wasn't pleasant, he enjoyed doing it. He had missed this.   
  
After his bones and insides had rearranged themselves, he felt his limbs change. It was such a smooth process and it happened quite quickly, but he was so in tune with his body when he did this. He felt his clothes merge with his body and hairs growing out of his skin. His nose and mouth stretched forward and his ears moved to the top of his head. All in all, the transformation was completed within a second.   
  
The shock of watching him transfiguring himself was quite apparent as Pakkun stopped his attack midway and twisted himself, landing to the side. _"What the…"_   
  
Sirius was bummed he couldn't speak in this form, but hoped since he was a dog too, Pakkun would be able to understand him either way. He whined as he shook his body, getting used to the larger body he hadn't used in so long.  
  
 _"So, you can change into a dog? That would definitely explain the smell. Were you always able to do this?"  
  
_ _No.  
  
_ _"How then?"  
  
_ _I taught myself when I was in school.  
  
_ _"Can the girl do this as well?"_   
  
_No, she can't. Between you and me, she_ could _learn. But at the moment she can't.  
  
_ The pug was quiet for a moment while processing this information. He took it a lot better than he would expect someone to take it. Then again, he was a talking dog. He'd probably seen a lot of weird shit. _"Hm. Interesting. And you can change at will?"_   
  
A second later, Sirius was back in his human form. _"Yes."  
  
_ _"Who else knows about this?"_   
  
_"Hermione knows, obviously. Other than that, you."_ Sirius sat back down on the couch, crossing his legs as he made himself comfortable.   
  
_"I'm flattered."_ Pakkun responded flatly.   
  
_"I'm sure you are. I would appreciate it if you could keep this to yourself for now. I'd like to prank the brat at least once before telling him."  
  
_ He'd never actually heard a dog snort. That's what Pakkun did, however. _"You want to prank Boss?"  
  
_ _"Sure,"_ Sirius replied with a shrug. _"He could use it. He needs to loosen up a little, you know?"  
  
_ Pakkun was silent for a moment longer. He wondered if the dog would join him in the prank. That'd be the best outcome. The other option would be that the dog would rat him out. _"Alright, I'll help. But only because you won't succeed otherwise."_ It was funny how the dog tried to play it off like he couldn't care less. Sirius knew better. He was definitely interested. A smirk appeared on his lips.   
  
_"Great! Let's start planning then, maybe-"_   
  
Sirius grabbed his wand as Pakkun instantly moved towards the door. He sniffed and growled. _"Damn cat. They know better than to show up here."  
  
_ _"Cat?"  
  
_ Sirius got up and moved to the door, opening it, ignoring Pakkun's question as to why he would do that. He had a hunch, however. There was only one cat that always found him, no matter where he was.   
  
"Meow." Crookshanks purred as he entered the room like he owned the place, dragging a small bag with him, not even giving the dog a single glance.   
  
"Well. Welcome back, Crookshanks. What have you been up to?" Sirius said, easily switching back to English.  
  
"Meow."  
  
 _"He says he's got something for you."_ Pakkun grumbled, making Sirius stare at him in surprise.   
  
_"You can understand what he's saying?"  
  
_ _"Strangely enough, yes. Which is weird, because I usually can't understand cats. He's not secretly a human, is he?"  
  
_ _"No, not that I'm aware of.”_ He told the pug before turning to Crookshanks. “What do you have for me Crooks?" Sirius said, kneeling down. He'd notice the package, of course. Crookshanks sat down as Sirius reached out for the small bag, carefully opening it. He stuck his hand in, biting back a small curse at the cut it created in his palm. Taking it out, he frowned. Slowly unwrapping the cloth covering the sharp object, he froze at the sight of it. He recognized this. How couldn't he? He had created it.   
  
He placed the object on the floor, carefully examining it. It was one of the mirrors he and James had charmed. It was a shame it wasn't the entire mirror, but it seemed the magic was still very much present in it. Who would be in possession of the other half, he wondered. And would it work? And most importantly, how did Crookshanks get it?   
  
"Meow."   
  
Absentmindedly Sirius petted the cat's head. "You did good, Crooks. Now. Let's see if we can contact someone, hm? Who knows. Maybe we'll even be able to get back home. Hermione's going to be thrilled."  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Kakashi sighed as he appeared in front of his house again. The meeting had been brief, but necessary. He'd received a notice about the new attribute for his team. Apparently he got another Uchiha under his care. The heir, this time around. He'd seen the boy at the party, but now he also knew why he was placed on the team for Hermione's mission. He was a good asset, so he was positive it would be fine.   
  
As he approached his house, he noticed the door was open. Why would they leave the door open? What were they up to?   
  
"You can understand what he's saying?" He heard Sirius ask.   
  
"Strangely enough, yes. Which is weird, because I usually can't understand cats. He's not secretly a human, is he?" Why the hell would a cat be secretly human? That made no sense at all and he'd expected a lot more from Pakkun.   
  
"No, not that I'm aware of. _What do you have for me Crooks?_ " Sirius asked again, this time directed to what seemed to be a cat. Also, why the fuck was there a cat in his house?   
  
"Meow." Kakashi stealthily moved closer, making sure no one knew he was there.   
  
_"You did good, Crooks. Now. Let's see if we can contact someone, hm? Who knows. Maybe we'll even be able to get back home. Hermione's going to be thrilled."  
  
_ Kakashi's heart stopped beating at that, he was sure. Contact who? What was he playing at? And… Go back home? Hermione would be thrilled? No. No, this wasn't happening. No. Fuck. This wasn't supposed to happen. _Fuck._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment to tell me what you thought :D They make my day!
> 
> Until next time <3


	38. Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> New weekend.. new chapter?   
> Don't have much to say other than the usual: Apologies for any and all mistakes and I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Also, a little warning: things get a bit... heated at the end :') I struggled a bit while writing it, but I hope   
> I did okay.
> 
> Enjoy!

**Chapter 38: Revelations  
  
  
** Kakashi always thought he had a good handle on things, you know? He was a well respected Anbu-captain, had been for several years. He was a good shinobi, no, great even. Among his peers he was known as a genius. Not to brag, of course, but he didn't have a 'Flee on sight' stamp next to his name in the Bingo Book for nothing. He’s made a name for himself. His strength was recognised by friends and enemies alike. So yes, he's got a good life going, even if it hadn't been before. Hasn't he?   
  
He remembered being young. Looking up to his father. His father was his hero, he could do no wrong in Kakashi's eyes. He wanted so badly to be like his father. Recognised and respected by his comrades, feared by his foes. Being a genius, he got to enter the Academy at the age of four. From day one he worked hard, making his father proud. He could see it in his father's eyes, the pride. He kept working hard.   
  
_He wanted to be exactly like his father.  
  
_ Until his eyes changed. Whenever Sakumo thought Kakashi wasn't looking, his eyes lost the pride and made room for something Kakashi didn't recognise. He was too young to understand then. But he knew it now. Sadness. His father was sad, maybe even depressed. With every passing day it became easier to see. With every hushed comment from the other Jonin, it became easier to understand. His father had made a mistake. A mistake that would cost them hundreds of lives, if not more. He had disgraced his village.   
  
_He didn't want to be like his father anymore.  
  
_ And then came the day his father did the worst, disgraceful thing he could have done. He committed suicide. In his own house. In the family room. Kakashi was only five when he found him. While he knew of death, he hadn't seen a dead body before. Not like this, not of someone this close to him. Kakashi remembered cursing himself for taking too long. Maybe he could've stopped his father if only he'd been home sooner. Maybe he should have spoken up to his father. Didn't his father care about him? Apparently not, or he'd still be here. Kakashi's view of his father drastically changed in that moment.   
  
_He hated his father.  
  
_ Kakashi never stopped working hard. After his father's passing, he threw himself into training. Learning more. Becoming stronger. His hard work was soon recognised and rewarded with a Hitai-ate of his own. Yet, being as young as he was, people never took him seriously, genius or not. So Kakashi kept on working hard. Even becoming Chunin at the age of six wasn't enough for Kakashi. He wanted more. To be even stronger. If he was strong, he wouldn’t turn out like his father. But still, people refused to take him seriously.   
  
_His father wasn't the only one he hated, now.  
  
_ Being on Minato's team changed his view of the world but not necessarily for the better. His team was the worst. They held him back. They were weak. In Kakashi's eyes, they were annoying, yet they served their purpose in a way. It took Obito's death to understand that. Following the rules no longer was the most important thing in the world. He realised that teams existed for a reason. You were stronger with a team. Not just physically, but mentally too. It gave him a reason to keep going. For years he'd live by the rule; “The mission always comes first”. His view on that changed, however, when both Obito and Rin died. He understood his father a bit more.   
  
_He no longer hated his father._   
  
Fast-forward several years, he finds himself in front of his father's grave at nineteen. Lost of where else to go. He knows he's come a long way, realises this truth more than anyone. Kakashi worked very hard to get the life he has now. When they looked at him, they saw _Sharingan no Kakashi_. Copy ninja Kakashi. A shinobi who was well on his way to learning one thousand jutsu. Someone who was feared across all the lands. Yet, he was brought to his knees by a single person. A young woman who had no business of being here, yet was. A woman he was now bonded to against his will. A woman who made him feel everything he had once tucked away. But more importantly, a woman who made him long for one more conversation with his father, if only to get advice on what to do now.   
  
_He missed his father.  
  
_ Kakashi had never found himself in a situation quite like this and if he was being honest, he'd rather go to war than to deal with this. At least in a fight he knew what to do, what to say and how to act. In a fight, he didn't have to worry about his _feelings_. All he needed to do in a fight was survive. This wasn't a fight, however. At least not one he's used to. His gaze moved up to the darkening sky. He knew he should go back home. Pakkun was waiting to be dismissed, no doubt annoyed by the fact he was asked to babysit an adult. And Hermione was coming soon. Hermione…   
  
He tried to imagine what she would say the moment she learned of the possibility of going home. It wasn't set in stone, the way Sirius worded it gave him comfort in that at least. They weren't sure if they could. But _if_ she could, what would she say? What would she do? Would she go without looking back? Or would she stay, wanting a new life? Kakashi couldn't answer that question for her. No one could, but her and that thought terrified him. The Kakashi that didn't know her, didn't care whether she stayed or left. The Kakashi that just met her was annoyed with her presence, yet also intrigued with her abilities. However, even that Kakashi couldn't care less whether she would stay or go.   
  
This Kakashi, however. The Kakashi standing in front of his father's grave… _This_ Kakashi finally realised the truth and knew what he wanted. And fuck it all...  
  
 _He desperately wanted her to stay.  
  
  
  
_ -  
  
  
  
 _Oh no._ Not this again. What the hell was going on with that insufferable man? Hermione took a deep breath and tried to calm herself even though she knew it wasn't her that was panicking. It was Kakashi. This wasn't a simple shock or scare. No, this was a full-blown panic attack. She waited a bit longer, trying to get a sense of what happened. She knew he was able to take care of himself and probably wouldn't like her dropping in on him every time he panicked. The panic slowly subsided, but was followed by so many different emotions which confused her. He seemed alright now, luckily, so she let it be for now. She'd have to ask him when she went over there tonight.  
  
A few hours later she got Teddy ready to go to Kakashi's house. Hermione had tried not to think about it, but she wondered what Kakashi had gotten for her. She really hadn't expected Kakashi to get her something for her birthday after he declined her invitation. Picking Teddy up from his bed she listened to his soft chattering as she changed his diaper and grabbed him a set of clean clothes. "You're getting spoiled today, Teddy. You get to spend some more time with your cousin Sirius! Isn't that fun?"   
  
"Siwi!"   
  
Hermione chuckled at the attempt of Teddy saying Sirius' name. "Okay, maybe 'Sirius' is a bit too hard for now. How about… Padfoot. Can you say Padfoot?"   
  
"Pa-pa!"   
  
"Ooh, almost, Bubba! Try again! Padfoot." Hermione encouraged, slowly saying Sirius' nickname.  
  
"Padda!"   
  
"Heh, good enough. Good job, Teddy! You're so smart, aren't you." She said as she picked him up and cradled him to her chest, cuddling him. "Now. Let's go get going, hm?"   
  
_"Hai!"_ Hermione smiled at that. Inoichi and his wife had been teaching Teddy some Japanese words as well, which he picked up without an effort. She had discussed it with both of them, and they had agreed to help him with the Japanese words while she would take on her own language. Of course, since Inoichi also spoke English he'd be able to support her with that as well.   
  
Shifting Teddy in her arms, she grabbed her bag and left her room. Walking down the stairs, she passed the living room on her way out. She figured she would just Apparate, it was the easiest solution. That way, no one would have to go with her.   
  
_"I'm off!"_ She called, popping her head into the living room.  
  
 _"Enjoy your evening, Hermione."_ Inoichi said. " _Do you need someone to go with you?"  
  
_ _"No, that's alright. I'll Apparate there. Much quicker."_ Hermione said with a smile.   
  
_"If you're sure..."_ Inoichi didn't look sure about this but Hermione knew he wasn't familiar with her means of transportation. Really, it was just like their teleportation jutsu. She knew where she was going, she could easily get there without a hitch.   
  
_"Absolutely! See you later!"  
  
_ _"Bye Mai-onee-chan!"  
  
_ Hermione swiftly moved into the room and leaned over to kiss Ino on her cheek. _"Bye Ino-chan! Be good to your mommy and daddy, okay?"  
  
_ _"Hai!"_ With a chuckle and a wave she left the room and with a pop she and Teddy disappeared from the house.   
  
A second later, she appeared at the front door of Kakashi's home, yet she strangely couldn't feel him nearby. Usually she had an idea if he was near. Their bond was quite handy in that case. Hermione had barely knocked, before the door was opened by Sirius. "Hey," she greeted.   
  
"Hello, love. You're early."  
  
"Early? How so?" Hermione frowned at that as she handed Teddy over to Sirius while stepping inside the house. He gladly took the boy from her, cradling him to his body. She hadn't been early at all, even waiting a bit longer before deciding to come here. Both moved to the living room as Sirius answered her question.   
  
"Kakashi hasn't come back yet from his errands."  
  
"That's odd." She commented. _"Oh, hi!"_ She greeted Pakkun as she noticed the dog sitting near the couch.   
  
_"Hello."  
  
_ _"What time did Kakashi say he'd be back?"_ Hermione asked him, recognizing the dog from the last time Kakashi had summoned him.   
  
_"Two hours ago."_ The dog gruffly replied, putting his head on the floor. A second later he lifted his head, ears alert. _"He's back."  
  
_ Pakkun had barely finished speaking when the door opened. A subdued _"I'm home"_ was heard from the hallway. Pakkun stood up and trotted towards the hallway to greet Kakashi. Hermione decided to stay with Sirius, giving the dog the chance to brief him. She could hear the hushed voices coming from behind the door, until the door opened. A loud poof was heard and only Kakashi stepped through the door. "Sorry, I'm late." Was the only greeting they got as he avoided eye contact and walked past them with his head down.   
  
All of them were quiet, even Teddy, as Kakashi moved to the kitchen and the tell-tale sound of cups moving was heard, indicating he was preparing some tea. Sirius met Hermione's gaze with a raised eyebrow. She shrugged and shook her head in response. No, she didn't know what was going on, either. Hermione then pointed to herself and at the kitchen, indicating that she'd talk to him. Sirius moved to take Teddy to the area where the guest rooms were, which she appreciated. At least she'd get some privacy when speaking with Kakashi.   
  
_"Hey,"_ she said as she entered the kitchen. Hermione remembered, not too long ago, that she was in a similar position with him. So much had changed between them. With every passing day, they understood each other even more. A little twitch would tell her so much. She was glad for that. It made communication between them that much better.  
  
 _"Tea?"_ He asked in return, back still turned towards her.   
  
_"Sure."_ Hermione tentatively moved closer, making sure not to make any sudden movements. He may not be sleeping this time, but she didn't want a repeat performance of that time. She could see him tense as she stopped behind him. Her hand moved up, slowly, touching his shoulder. Giving him a gentle squeeze, it moved a little lower, slowly rubbing it. _"Are you alright?"  
  
_ He released a sigh. She couldn't hear it, but she felt it. Felt him relax his muscles little by little. She had found he reacted quite well to her touches, subconsciously leaning into them as well. _"I don't know."_ Her eyebrows furrowed at the sound of his voice. In the time that she knew him, he'd never sounded so… Vulnerable.   
  
_"I felt you panic."_ She decided to say, hoping he'd tell her about it.   
  
_"Yeah, I-"_ He placed his hands on the counters, tilting his head down. He then shook his head, as if stopping himself from saying more. _"Have you spoken to Sirius?"_ He asked instead.  
  
 _"No?"  
  
_ _"He has something. I think it's best if he explains it."  
  
_ Hermione had absolutely no idea what he was talking about, her hand slowly falling from his shoulder. What did Kakashi know that he wasn't telling her? _"I'll go get him, then."_ She said when he didn't turn or elaborated on his comment.   
  
_"Sure."  
  
_ Hermione stepped away and walked towards the direction Sirius had gone. Poking her head in, she smiled at the view she got. Sirius had Teddy in his lap and he was reading from one of the books she'd left behind. "Hey, Kakashi said you had something? Said I should talk to you about it?"   
  
"Had something? I don't know what he's- oh, _oh_. How did he- No, doesn't matter. I'll be right out." Sirius said, waving her away.  
  
With a nod she moved back to the kitchen. Kakashi had placed three cups on the kitchen table. _"He'll be right out."_ She repeated to Kakashi.   
  
A moment later, Sirius appeared, without Teddy. At her questioning gaze, he explained he put him in the living room, in the playpen. "Right. So. Earlier this evening, I had an interesting visitor." Sirius said as he met Hermione's gaze. "Crookshanks."  
  
"What?! Crookshanks? Where is he?"   
  
"Off doing his own thing again. I think he likes the Uchiha boy. He probably went there."  
  
"Hold on, hold on. Who?" Kakashi interrupted.   
  
"Crookshanks." Hermione responded. "He's my cat."  
  
"There was a _cat_ here? In _my_ house?" _  
  
_ "Yeah. He doesn't really care about that," Sirius said with a chuckle. Hermione smiled as well. Her cat _really_ didn't care about that.   
  
"So, what did he bring?" Sirius placed an object wrapped in a cloth on the table. Her heart rate spiked at the sight of the cloth. She knew that cloth, but it couldn't possibly be. How did Crooks get that? "Sirius... Is that what I think it is?"   
  
_"_ If you think this is a piece of the pair of mirrors James and I charmed. Then yes. It's exactly what you think."  
  
"How? Why? Does it work?" Hermione didn't know what question she wanted answered first. This was unbelievable.  
  
"I don't know, don't know that either, and.. Yeah, I have no idea. Haven't tried it yet. But just think, 'Mione. Think what this could mean! This could take you home!"   
  
As soon as he said the words, Kakashi was on his feet and out of the room. A burst of anger rushed through her, followed by a whirlwind of different emotions, they came and went too fast for her to identify them. Then, Sirius words registered in her mind. "Wait. Take _me_ home?"   
  
"Yes!" Sirius responded with enthusiasm. "You wanted to go home, didn't you?"   
  
"Yes. No. I mean- I don't know. Everything is just so- But wait. What did you mean, _me_? What about you?"   
  
"I don't think I can return, Hermione. Technically I'm dead. And honestly," Sirius shrugged. "I don't mind staying."   
  
"What? But… Damn it. I'm sorry Sirius, I can't think. Kakashi's hurting. I should-"   
  
"Hurting? How do you know he's hurting?" The older man looked at her with a frown.   
  
"I can feel it. I mean, with the bond-"   
  
" _What_? What bond?"   
  
Oh shit. She hadn't told him yet. Hermione totally forgot to tell him. She buried her face in her hands. "I'm sorry," she said with a muffled voice. "I forgot to tell you." What was this? Could she go a day _without_ drama? Could she just have a day where everything went right?   
  
Sirius stayed quiet as Hermione got her thoughts in order. It took him a long time before he spoke again. She slowly removed her hands from her face, but hid behind her curls as she reached for her tea. It had gotten cold. Where had Kakashi gone? She hadn't heard a door, so surely he was still in the house.   
  
"So. You and Kakashi are bonded? That's… Frankly, it's extremely rare, Hermione. A soulbond like yours, you being a muggleborn. It's even more rare in this case, seeing as Kakashi isn't a wizard."  
  
"Wait, you know about bonds?"   
  
"Sure." Sirius replied with a shrug. "All purebloods do. We're brought up with stories about soulbonds. And once I got older, I researched them. Even found out someone in my family had a soulbond. They were disowned, like me, of course, so I never got to meet them." He said lightly.   
  
All this information threw her off. Merlin, she needed to think this through. But first things first, she thought. She needed to speak with Kakashi. Sirius wasn't going anywhere, they could talk later.   
  
"I'm going to talk to Kakashi for a bit." Hermione then said, standing up. "See if he's alright. And, I think _this_ is something the both of us would like to hear about."  
  
"Mhm, well, take your time. It seems he's got some things to get off of his chest." Sirius said with a nod to where he had left the room.   
  
"Yeah. Thanks Padfoot."  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Harry slowly moved through the remains of the cottage, finally being able to stand up. His mind was whirling with the knowledge of what he had found. Hermione had been here, at Lupin's. And now the cottage was barely standing. He wondered why she hadn't mentioned coming here. Then again, he didn't even know she was speaking to Lupin while she was at Hogwarts. What more hadn't she told him? Or had he simply not been listening? He cursed himself for that. Harry had just assumed she was working through the aftermath of the war while at Hogwarts and after that she was grieving for her parents. But had any of them really known what was going on in her mind? He shook his head. It didn't do to dwell on this now. He needed to find her. Them.  
  
"Harry!" Ginny ran towards him as he exited the cottage. "We found something, come see." She grabbed his arm and pulled him with her, several yards from the small home, they came to a stop. "Look," she said as she pointed at the ground.  
  
"We're not sure what it is." Neville said, circling the marks on the ground. "But we're sure this was done by magic."  
  
"Dark magic." Luna supplied. "Can't you feel it? It's all around us, when we're standing here."   
  
He could. He could feel it. Harry didn't think he'd ever forget the feeling of Dark Magic, having been dealing with it for so long. But it couldn't be, could it? Then again, they hadn't been able to get all the Death Eaters. Some of them kept escaping them, always one step ahead. Hell, they still hadn't found Dolohov either, he was from the 'original' group and one of the few they hadn't been able to locate. But why Lupin? It made no sense whatsoever for them to go after Lupin. Unless they had known Hermione would come here.   
  
"But what were they after? Lupin?"   
  
"Or Teddy." Harry said. "Or… Hermione."  
  
"Harry?" As he looked up, three pairs of eyes greeted him, all looking at him in confusion. Luna had been the one to call his name. "Did you find something in the house?"   
  
He cleared his throat, "yeah. I- Hermione's jacket. I found her jacket."  
  
"But not her, right? Besides, she had loads of jackets. Right? Maybe it was an older one." Ginny looked at him, wide-eyed while shaking her head in disbelief. He knew how she felt. He didn't want to believe any of this either. He couldn't deny the evidence, however.   
  
"It was the same one she'd worn when she stayed with your family, Gin. She came here after she left the Burrow." Ginny's hand flew to her mouth as he said that.   
  
"No." Ginny said in a whisper. "No, it can't be."  
  
"What else did you find?"   
  
He shrugged. "Nothing. It's a mess, but… I don't think anyone was inside when it was set on fire."  
  
"But then, where have they gone?" Luna asked with a tilt of her head. Harry then watched her look down to the ground and followed her gaze. "Do you think they were taken?"   
  
"I don't know. We need to figure out what these markings are, first. What they mean. It could give us a clue on where they are and if they were taken."  
  
They took notes on the markings, circling it several times to make sure they hadn't missed anything. Two soft pops were heard and the four of them whisked their wands out, spinning on their feet.   
  
"Calm down guys, it's just me." Ron said as he came into view. "And Kingsley." Kingsley Shacklebolt walked towards them with Ron next to him.   
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Mr. Weasley explained what you had found in your search for Ms. Granger. There have been rumours about attacks performed by Death Eaters and I wanted to make sure this wasn't one of them. I fear, however, that that's not the case. The rumors I've heard weren't quite like this, I have to admit. Tell me what you know so far."  
  
"Of course, sir." Harry looked at the new arrivals before explaining what they had found so far. Ron's expression turned grim at the news that Hermione had, in fact, been here and that they now had three missing people. He told them what they had found out regarding the markings up until this point. There wasn't much to go on, unfortunately.   
  
This was getting worse and worse. First Hermione, but now Lupin and most likely Teddy too? He'd better visit Andromeda soon, maybe she's heard anything. Also, there was something about the markings on the ground that gave him a bad feeling in his gut. After having dealt with Voldemort for so many years, he's learned to trust that gut feeling.   
  
"I'll go check with Mrs. Tonks, to see if she's seen Lupin and Teddy. For all we know, he wasn't here when all of this occurred." He knew it was wishful thinking. They hadn't heard anything from that side but they could hope. He needed to stay positive. If he didn't, he'd only think the worst and Merlin knew that wasn't good.   
  
"Very well. I think the only consolation we have is that no one has come forward with any threats regarding Granger or Lupin. No one has claimed anything, so there's still hope that they are fine." Kingsley said.   
  
"Right. Yes, of course. Best not to think like that." Harry agreed with a nod. But still, he had a feeling it wasn't at all that simple.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Kakashi sat down on the edge of his bed and released a sigh. He had promised himself not to overreact, yet here he was. He couldn't even hear Sirius tell Hermione that she could go home. He didn't want to be anywhere near the kitchen at the moment, opting to hide out in his bedroom. Like a fucking child.   
  
He groaned in frustration as he let himself fall back, rubbing his face. Why couldn't he just live his life, without all this drama? He didn't want to have to worry about things like this. It was already bad enough just trying to figure out this damned bond between himself and Hermione.   
  
"Kakashi?"   
  
At the knock on his door, he turned his head towards the door. “Hm?”  
  
Apparently Hermione took that as a “come on in”. Because she opened the door, poking her head in to see where he was. “Got a minute?” She asked. It was weird shrugging while lying down but she got the message either way. Stepping inside, she closed the door behind her and walked to the side of the bed where his legs were hanging off the edge. “What’s wrong?”  
  
“Why do you think something’s wrong?” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. He closed his eye in frustration. Of course she knew something was wrong, idiot! Honestly, it was his defensive system that was up. Pretending nothing was wrong, responding like he didn’t care. No one could ever tell anyways. Only _she_ could. He sighed as he opened his eye to look at her. It was clear she hadn’t believed him, if the look on her face was any indication. “Okay, ignore that.” He said as he sat up again.   
  
“Talk to me, Kakashi.”  
  
And he was going to. If only he knew where to start. He stopped himself from fumbling with his hands as he got his thoughts in order. “Do you want to sit?” He said instead, trying to buy himself some time.  
  
“No, I’ll stand.” She gave him a pointed look.   
  
Another sigh left Kakashi’s lips. She wasn’t making this any easier for him, he noticed. “I returned home earlier this evening, before you arrived.” He started. “When I did… I heard something that threw me off, if I’m being honest.”  
  
“About?” Kakashi yearned to look her in the eye, but didn’t want to be able to see what she thought of all of this.   
  
“The same thing that was just said in the kitchen.” Kakashi couldn’t make himself speak louder than the whisper he had just uttered. All he could think was that he didn’t want her to go. Admitting this was hard for him and he didn't think she realised how hard it was for him.   
  
Hermione was quiet for a moment. He heard her take in a breath a few times to speak, but every time she stopped herself. No doubt she was trying to figure out exactly what he meant. “So, please correct me if I’m wrong. You’re upset because of what Sirius had said? About me being able to go back ho- to England.” She corrected herself from saying “home” he noticed. Kakashi nodded in response, not trusting his voice this time around. “And that’s where the panic I felt came from?” Another nod. “Why?”  
  
“What do you mean ‘why’?” Kakashi asked suddenly. Wasn’t it clear enough?  
  
“Why would you panic about something like that? I thought you didn’t-”  
  
“You thought wrong.” He interrupted her and looked up at her with determination. Surely she didn’t think he didn’t want her here? Hadn’t it been clear for her yet? “I don’t want you to go.” For once in his life he let the emotion flow freely, now easily heard in his voice.  
  
Hermione didn’t say anything, yet met his gaze without blinking. Her brow was furrowed, like it always was when she was thinking things through. He knew quite a few of her tells now. Then, the furrow in her brow slowly disappeared. She tentatively took a step towards him, and another. She stood so close that her knees were almost touching his. Kakashi’s eye never moved from hers as she stepped closer. He didn’t blink as her hand raised towards his face, softly cupping his cheek.   
  
He heard her breath hitch as she touched his face. Even a thin cloth between their touches didn't do anything to lessen the energy that spiked between them. “You don’t want me to go?” She almost whispered. He barely heard her over the sound of his own heart beating like crazy.   
  
“No.” He responded. “I want you to stay. With me.” Kakashi swallowed after speaking those words. Never in his life had he felt this vulnerable. Ever. He thought it before, he’d rather go to war than be in this kind of situation. He didn't know anything about these kinds of situations. A part of him was scared- no terrified of what she would say. He could want her to stay but that didn’t mean that she would. This wasn’t her home. This wasn’t where she had built a life for herself.  
  
The hand on his cheek moved, slowly. Instead of cupping his cheek, her finger hooked under the edge of his mask. “I have a confession to make." She spoke softly. Slowly, inch by inch, she pulled his mask down. "I want to stay with you, too.” She said as she bent down and met his lips with hers.   
  
She was hesitant at first. Yet as soon as he reciprocated the kiss, he felt her hand move to the back of his neck. She removed his hitai-ate carefully before grasping his hair. He let out a soft moan at the feeling as his hands moved up to her hips. The moment he touched her hips, she stepped even closer. It was uncomfortable as he was still sitting down while she was standing. Now, he could stand up, of course. He could. His body didn’t agree with that thought, though. His hands slowly pulled her towards him, closer and closer. Until she had no other choice but to either break off the kiss or kneel on the bed.   
  
Kakashi would never admit how thrilled he was that she chose the latter as she put her knees on the bed and sat on his lap. The more of their bodies touched each other, the more exhilarating it felt. The energy freely moving between them. He couldn't get enough of her. Of touching her. Something inside of him felt so content with her weight in his lap. And to think that she was his, bonded to _him._ That she wouldn't be doing this with anyone else. Yes, he was _very_ content with this situation.   
  
Her hand pulled on his hair, making him moan again. One of his hands moved towards her own neck in response, entangling it in her curls. The feel of his hand there was apparently something she liked as she let out a gasp at the feeling, causing him to grin. Holding her like this, one hand on her hip and one in her hair, gave him more control over her movements. She didn’t seem to mind either way as she ground her hips down. Something snapped inside of him at the feeling of her grinding down on his lap. Kakashi couldn’t stop the growl forming in his throat as he hungrily swallowed all the sounds she made while enjoying the feeling it created. His hand subconsciously moved from her hip towards her bum softly massaging it as he used it to make her ground down again. The moan she released at that made him repeat the action, wanting to hear more.   
  
With the grip on her hair, he managed to tilt her head a little bit, his lips moving towards her neck. He sucked and nibbled on her pulse point, which she seemed to love by the moan she released at that. "Kakashi," she said with a whimper as now both her hands reached for the back of his head, holding him there. Kakashi merely hummed in response, continuing to explore her neck.   
  
Suddenly his head was pulled back, causing him to snap both eyes open. He felt his length harden as soon as she pulled his hair. He knew both his pupils were blown wide open, the lust easily visible in his eyes. For a moment she paused and he feared that the sight of the Sharingan would cause her to stop. It didn't because a second later she pulled his mask even further down his neck and attacked his neck the same way he had with her and _fuck_ it felt good. He felt his eyes roll back before they closed as she found his pulse point and bit down. He released a guttural moan at that.   
  
This was getting too much. There was too much stimulation. Just kissing her was already making him lightheaded, but that combined with her grinding on his lap _and_ her biting his neck. With another grind, he lost focus and fell back. While Hermione moved along with him, she managed to stop herself from falling on top of him, instead placing her hands on his chest. His own hands both planted on her behind. Neither spoke as they stared at each other, both breathing hard. He liked this look on her. She looked properly ravished. His eye moved to her lips as she licked them. He felt his hard on twitch in excitement and at that exact same time he could feel her tighs tighten around his waist as the rest of her shuddered. His hands responded with a soft squeeze of her bum. This woman was going to be the death of him.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione tried to get her breathing under control after Kakashi fell backwards, keeping her hands planted on Kakashi's chest. On Kakashi's well sculptured and muscled chest. She worked very hard to keep her hands where they were, lest they started exploring his body. She pushed herself up, moving into a sitting position, putting her weight on his lap. Hermione had never seen this look on the silver-haired teen before and she had to admit she liked it. Knowing she caused this look, did something to her.   
  
She subconsciously licked her lips and noticed him follow the movement with his eye. When she had seen his other eye a few moments before, Hermione had paused. She'd only seen it one time before today, in a completely different setting. He'd closed his eye again, which was fine with her. She didn't mind either way. He apparently saw something he _liked_ , because she felt him twitch under her, causing her to shudder in response. The shudder immediately caused her tighs to tighten around him. Merlin, she wanted him.   
  
Now was not the time for this though, how much it pained her to admit it. Sirius and Teddy were down the hall and knowing Sirius he wasn't against barging in here, even if he knew what they were up to.   
  
"Good talk, eh?" Hermione said, breaking the silence.   
  
Kakashi snorted below her. "Yeah," he said, his voice an octave lower than it usually was. He also sounded breathless, which sounded so good to her. "Great talk."  
  
She could feel his hands on her bum, softly squeezing it every few seconds. Normally she'd be appalled by someone doing that. With Kakashi she found that she didn't mind. "While I enjoy _talking_ with you," she started with a grin, slowly touching his stomach and chest. "I think we should get back. Y'know, before Sirius decides to barge in here. We'll never hear the end of it."  
  
With a shrug, Kakashi said. "I'll make sure he doesn't."   
  
"And I prefer to have my friend in one piece, Kakashi." She said with a chuckle.   
  
Kakashi let out a dramatic sigh, followed by a childish sounding "fine", causing her to giggle.  
  
"Alright. Let's go back." She said, moving to get off of him. Then, before she could even blink or make a sound, she found herself on her back, Kakashi's lips back on hers. Both her hands had come up to hold on to him, or at least _something_ , but he grabbed them and held them above her head with one hand, while the other slipped down to her waist, playing with the hem of her shirt.  
  
"Mm, Kakashi." She pleasantly sighed. "We need to stop."  
  
"Are you sure you want me to stop?" He said as he, once again, moved from her lips to her neck. His free hand moved back up, this time under her shirt, softly stroking her stomach. As he moved higher and higher, she couldn't help but arch towards his touch as she let out a soft moan.  
  
"Please." She breathed. His touch felt so good, fueled by their bond. She could feel it, once again thrumming under her skin.   
  
"Please, what?" Kakashi whispered near her ear, now nibbling on her earlobe.   
  
"Don't stop, please."  
  
"I wasn't planning on it, sweetheart." She could feel him grin against her neck as he slowly moved down her neck, leaving a trail of kisses as he made his way down, stopping at her collar. Every time she felt him move away a little, her body chased his touch, making him chuckle softly. It seemed he was hesitant at first, softly touching her stomach until his fingers grazed the underside of her breast. Once he realised she didn't mind his touch, he became more confident and touched her there with more fervour.   
  
Hermione struggled against his grip on her wrists. She so desperately wanted to touch him too. And just when he seemed to let go of her wrist, giving her what she wanted at that moment…  
  
It was once again ruined by a knock on the door. And this time, both Hermione _and_ Kakashi groaned at the interruption. Kakashi burrowing his face in her neck as she placed her hands in front of her face in embarrassment.   
  
"I won't come in," Sirius said through the door.  
  
"Thank fuck for that," Kakashi groaned against her neck.   
  
"Merlin knows I don't want any nightmares about all the things you're doing in there. I do hope you're using protection though. I wasn't joking earlier. Anyways, we should continue our conversation, however. I'll make some tea. See you two in five minutes."  
  
"Oh my god." Hermione said. "That man has no shame, whatsoever."  
  
"I'm going to kill him." Kakashi stated without any heat in his voice. She was sure he was more annoyed than anything and really, she shared that annoyance.   
  
"No, you're not." Hermione scolded. "He is right though. We should finish that conversation." Kakashi let out a huff and removed his hand from under her shirt and she quickly pulled her shirt down as he moved off of her, laying down next to her. Taking a few more breaths, she sat back up, turning her head to look at him over her shoulder. "You okay?"   
  
"Yeah. I'm good. You?" He moved his head to look at her.   
  
"Mhm, me too." She smiled at him and he reached out for her hand. The moment his hand touched hers, she took hold of it, interlacing their fingers. "It's odd, isn't it?"   
  
"Hm?"   
  
"This. Us." She wasn't sure how else to explain it.   
  
"It is. Yet…" He trailed off.   
  
"It feels good. Right."   
  
"Yes." She was happy he agreed with her on that. Glad they were on the same page for once. This really wasn't just the bond anymore. Which reminded her…  
  
"Actually, I think it would be good to talk to Sirius about the bond as well. Apparently he knows quite a bit about it. I think he'll be able to answer our questions."  
  
Kakashi blinked in surprise. "That would help, yes. I suppose we should go, then."  
  
Hermione knew that if he got the chance, Kakashi would stay here, with her. Smiling, she moved to the edge of the bed, pulling him with her. "Yep. So, let's go." When he didn't move, she changed tactics. "Get up, or I'll jinx you."  
  
In a blink of an eye, he stood next to her. He pulled his mask back up, making sure his face was covered. He raked a hand through his hair, not that it was needed. His hair still looked the same. Hermione straightened her clothes and in the process flung her hair over her shoulder. Kakashi moved towards her and put her hair back, causing her to look up at him in surprise. "I think you should keep your neck covered for now," his eye as he sheepishly smiled at her and rubbed the back of his neck.   
  
"You didn't." Hermione gasped and her fingers flew to her neck. Some spots felt sore, causing her to blush.   
  
"Sorry?" He said, not sounding apologetic. At all.   
  
"You're not sorry. At all," she said while giving him a pointed look.   
  
"Nah, not really. Besides, you liked it." He said with a smug look.   
  
"Oh, shut it." She replied embarrassed. Hermione made her way around his bed and moved to the door. "Let's go see what Sirius knows, preferably before he comes in throwing jinxes at us."   
  
"Maa, we wouldn't want that, now would we?" Kakashi said lazily as he followed her out of his room, quickly reaching out to grab something before closing his door. She laughed as he closed the door behind them. This turned out okay, she thought. Maybe they could work things out after all. Him declaring he didn't want her to go made her heart soar. And if she was being honest, right at this moment…   
  
_She really didn't want to leave Konoha._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know your thoughts in the comment section! <3
> 
> Until next time! :'D


	39. The Bond

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> This chapter isn't as long as the previous ones, but I didn't want to leave you without a chapter this weekend.   
> For the coming weeks, I can't promise the updates will be coming on time. I've got some stuff going on that's taking more of my time than I'd like but it is what it is.
> 
> Apologies for any and all mistakes made!
> 
> I hope this chapter clarifies some stuff but if you do end up with any questions, don't hesitate to ask them!  
> Enjoy!

**Chapter 39: The Bond  
  
  
** _"You took your time,"_ Sirius said with a pointed look as the two teens entered the kitchen. With a quick wave it looked like he heated the cooled down tea back up. _"Got it all out of your system for the time being?"_   
  
_"Oh for the love of.. Sirius, could you_ please _stop it?"_ Hermione groaned.   
  
_"You weren't exactly quiet, love. Just calling it as I see it."_   
  
Hermione in response hid her face in her hands, causing the older man to smirk. She flushed easily, he had found. He liked the look in her, making it all the more fun for him to find out the ways to make her blush. Kakashi wasn't blushing at his comment though, he was more annoyed than anything.   
  
_"The way I see it, you had no business listening in either way,"_ the silver-haired teen stated. Kakashi wasn't an idiot and hadn't let his guard down _that_ much. He'd heard the man coming towards the room. Yet, he was confident the man wouldn't come inside, instead focusing his attention on the woman under him.   
  
_"I'll decide that for myself, thanks."_ Sirius replied, not losing his smirk.   
  
_"Not in my house."_ Kakashi said, crossing his arms, giving the man a pointed look as well.   
  
_"Alright, look. Let's just sit down and drink our tea and finish our conversation. Okay?"_ Hermione suggested. Kakashi shrugged in response.   
  
_"Okay, okay."_ Sirius said, holding up his hands in mock defense. _"Just one question."_ A smirk made its way to his lips.  
  
 _"Ugh, what?"_ Hermione groaned. Kakashi wasn't sure if he wanted to know what that man was going to ask.   
  
_"_ How _do you guys make out? I mean, the mask looks kinky and all, didn't think you were into that, actually. But it doesn't seem all that comfortable. Do you-"  
  
_ _"Stop! Enough. I swear, Sirius. One more word about this and I'll make you wish you've never said anything about it. I will throw a_ Bat Bogey Hex _at you."_ Hermione threatened and Kakashi wasn't going to admit it did something to him, hearing her threaten Sirius. It was effective, though. Sirius held his hands up in actual defence this time.  
  
 _"Calm down, love. I was just curious."  
  
_ _"Bullshit."_ Kakashi shared Hermione's feelings in this case. Besides, the man was just toying with them. He'd already seen Kakashi pull up his mask before, so he knew _how_ they kissed. He rolled his eye at the thought. The man was just trying to get under their skin.   
  
Kakashi looked at the pair in front of him and released a sigh. _"How about we get back to the matter at hand? The mirror?"_   
  
_"Right. So. Actually, Sirius, you know more about it."_ Hermione started as she sat down and picked up her cup to take a sip. Kakashi clenched his fists before sitting down as well. He didn't hate the mirror, there was no use hating an object. That didn't mean, however, he liked hearing about it. But, he reasoned with himself, he could at least hear what it did that was so special. If anything, it would help him. After all, information was good to have. He can make decisions based on the information he gathers and see what to do with it afterwards.   
  
_"Hm, where to start?"_ Sirius rested his head in his palm as he looked at the piece on the table.   
  
_"What is it?"_ Kakashi spoke up, feeling out of the loop.   
  
_"A mirror."_ Sirius deadpanned, causing Kakashi to roll his eye, _again_. _"It's a means of communication. My best friend and I,"_ Sirius started. _"We had a pair of matching mirrors and we charmed it so that we could communicate through them. Quite handy for when we were in detention in separate rooms."  
  
_ _"And this piece comes from one of them?"_ Kakashi pointed at the object on his kitchen table.  
  
 _"Yes."  
  
_ _"This is Harry's piece."_ Hermione supplied. _"He had smashed his mirror when he found out that he couldn't contact you after you-"_ She stopped herself as she looked at her folded hands on the table. _"Aberforth Dumbledore had acquired yours during the war. But I don't know if he still has it. So I have no idea who will be on the other end of it."_ She continued. _"For now, I think we should assume it's Aberforth."  
  
_ Kakashi looked at the mirror in interest. He'd never thought something like this would be possible. A way to communicate an unknown distance? Through a _mirror_? He barely noticed Sirius saying that they should just give it a try and see what would happen. He watched as Hermione gingerly took the piece in her hands and focused on it. _"Aberforth Dumbledore."_ She said with a clear voice and with bated breath they waited.   
  
The seconds ticked by as they waited, Kakashi silently counted them in his head. It was close to two minutes when she put the mirror back down with a soft sigh, looking dejected. He felt her disappointment, she had truly hoped something would happen.   
  
_"Chin up, love."_ Sirius said, placing his hand over one of hers. _"This doesn't mean anything. We'll just try again later."_ Maybe it wouldn't work at all. Well, a guy can hope, right?   
  
_"Yeah, you're right."_ She said with a nod. _"Maybe we can, uh, talk about something else in the meantime."  
  
_ Kakashi stayed quiet as he stood up. He figured all of them would enjoy another cup of tea. Other than the sound of him rummaging around, everyone was quiet. A few minutes later, Kakashi took his seat again, a fresh cup of tea in front of him. _"Hermione says you're able to give us some more information about our bond?"_ He said, getting straight to the point.   
  
_"Ah yes, your bond."_ Sirius responded, blowing his tea before taking a sip. _"I told Hermione this too,"_ he said with a nod to her. _"This bond of yours… Frankly, it's extremely rare. It's not often a bond is formed between a wizard or witch and a Muggle. But you're not even a Muggle."  
  
_ _"What's a Muggle?"_ Kakashi asked, confused.  
  
 _"A Muggle is someone who can't use magic and isn't from a magical family."_ Hermione explained. _"I suppose it's kind of like a civilian, here. Only, well, Muggles don't know about wizards and witches. While the civilians here obviously do."  
  
_ _"Right. Okay, so I'm not a Muggle, because I'm able to use chakra."  
  
_ _"Exactly."_ Sirius replied. _"So, you see, a bond between a wizard or witch and a Muggle in itself is rare. Usually, when a bond occurs,_ if _one occurs, it's between a witch and a wizard."  
  
_ _"If?"  
  
_ _"Well, bonds in itself aren't common, mate."_ Sirius said with a shrug. _"One between one of us and a Muggle is rare. One between a Muggle-born witch and a shinobi?"_ Sirius shook his head. _"It's unheard of. Literally unheard of. To my knowledge, this has never happened before. Then again, before I came here, shinobi were nothing more than a myth."  
  
_ As Kakashi listened to his explanation, his eyes shifted to Hermione. He noticed she avoided looking at him while Sirius spoke, making him frown. Was she… Embarrassed? Why?   
  
_"What I_ do _know about bonds, is that they're protected."_   
  
_"Protected? By whom?"_   
  
_"By_ what _."_ Sirius corrected. _"The Old Magick. A soulbond like yours is essentially one of the purest and most prestigious forms of magic."  
  
_ _"Come on, Sirius. Be real. Nothing like this was mentioned in the books."_ Hermione said, looking put out. She was getting annoyed, Kakashi could tell. He was getting quite annoyed as well with the vague responses. _"If it really is as prestigious as you say, something would've been mentioned."  
  
_ _"Books aren't everything, 'Mione. Trust me when I say, this is some ancient stuff. Not to mention, there's a difference between a bond and a_ soulbond _."  
  
_ _"But-"  
  
_ _"No, Hermione. You don't understand."_ Sirius said as he reached out for her hand. _"There are actual laws about this back home. Ancient laws that are barely being used, sure, but they exist. People have been sent to Azkaban before for trying to get between a couple with a soulbond. They've gotten a Dementor's kiss for it."  
  
_ Kakashi tried to make sense of everything that was being said. 'Old Magick', 'Azkaban' and what the fuck was a 'Dementor' and why was its kiss something to be feared? From the sounds of it, Azkaban seemed like a prison, but what an odd name for one.   
  
_"And before that,"_ Sirius continued, unaware of Kakashi's thoughts. _"Anyone who dared try to go against the Old Magick's will...well, it never ended well for them."_ He finished.   
  
The fact that Sirius didn't specify what had happened to anyone trying to break up a bond said enough, really. He wasn't interested in what it would mean for someone else, anyway. _"What about us? What will it mean for us if someone were to try and break it?"  
  
_ _"Hmm,"_ Sirius sat back as he crossed his arms. He tilted his head towards the ceiling as he seemed to think of an answer. _"I suppose that would depend on how much the bond has grown between the two of you."  
  
  
  
_ -  
  
  
  
"Are there different... stages?" Kakashi asked. Hermione silently followed the conversation between the two men in front of her. She was still stuck on how rare their bond turned out to be. She hadn't known that it was usually something to happen between Purebloods. Honestly, she thought that while it was rare, it happened between Muggleborns as well. For her to bond with someone not even from their world- that thought alone was mind blowing.   
  
"Of course there are different stages." Sirius responded in a tone that almost said 'are you an idiot?' "You didn't want to jump her bones from the moment the bond formed, now did you?"   
  
This man. He needed to work on his wording, for sure. Hermione chanced a look at Kakashi and saw him looking at Sirius with a wide eye. She could even see a small blush appear from under his mask, making her smile. At least she wasn't the only one affected by the comments made by Sirius.   
  
"So, yes. First, the connection is made. Everyone experiences this differently. It could be a fluttering in your stomach, an electric shock running through your body or you feel warm all over."  
  
Kakashi turned his gaze to Hermione and their eyes met. She knew what it was for her, for them. The exact moment their bond had formed was fresh in her mind. He had grabbed her to take her to T&I and while he pretended nothing had happened, she knew that hadn't been the case.   
  
"After that it gradually grows into something stronger, something more firm, in a way. Normally, you'll slowly get a feel for each other's emotions. Getting a vague idea of what the other is feeling."  
  
Hermione didn't miss the fact that Sirius said "normally". Now, she understood why he was so surprised to learn she knew Kakashi was upset. Apparently it wasn't normal for them to already feel like that. To make it worse, it wasn't a vague idea either. They knew what the other was feeling. While she hadn't learned to focus on his emotions to discern every single one of them, she knew that if she knew how, they were already at that stage.   
  
"Right." Kakashi said, not saying anymore than that. It would seem Kakashi had come to the same conclusion as her. They were _way_ past that stage. "And then?"  
  
"Well, that depends." Hermione did not like the way he said that. Sirius smirked at the both of them.  
  
"On what?" Kakashi asked with a flat voice. He apparently didn't like the way Sirius looked at them either.   
  
"The more you touch, the higher the need you'll feel for each other. It'll start with wanting to be near each other, until you can't help yourself and you just need to touch. So you start with holding each other's hand. But then, even that won't be enough. With every touch, your body yearns for more. Until your mind can't take it anymore and you'll have no other choice but to give in. And the longer you fight it… it would only get worse with every passing day."  
  
"Stop being so vague. Just say what you mean." Hermione completely agreed with Kakashi and felt the same annoyance course through her. Sirius had a way of not saying what he meant just to annoy the people he was speaking to.   
  
"Wait long enough to give in to the bond and well… you'll be like a bitch in heat. Because the bond yearns for one thing and one thing only and that is to be complete. And the only way to get to that point is to shag each other." He said as he looked at Kakashi, smirk still in place.   
  
Hermione froze at his words. She had assumed it would have to be something like that, seeing as their bond seemed to fuel whatever feelings they had for each other, but hearing it said like that… She wasn't sure it was something she would be ready for. Even with Ron, someone she'd known for years, she had been reluctant to try anything other than kissing. If she was being honest, she hadn't even gone as far as she just had with Kakashi. At the thought, Hermione's face flushed. Kakashi's response wasn't quite like hera, she noticed. Kakashi's gaze hardened as he looked at Sirius before it smoothed over.  
  
"So we need have sex. In order for the bond to settle? You're saying there's no other way? Can't the bond be broken? It sure as hell would save us a lot of trouble."   
  
Hurt paired with anxiety filled Hermione. How stupid was she? While not even half an hour ago he was telling her he wanted her to stay. And now this? She should've known, though. He probably said those things because he assumed the bond couldn't be broken. After all, she was hardly attractive, so no wonder he'd rather not shag her. He'd rather give himself to someone much better suited for him. Prettier, stronger. A shinobi. Of course he didn't-  
  
Kakashi's hand landed on hers, bringing her back to the present, at the kitchen table. "Don't." He said, switching to English. "Don't assume you know why I say what I say."  
  
"Then what _are_ you saying? And why?" She bit back. She could feel the tears gathering in her eyes. Once again she was being rejected. Once again, she wasn't enough for someone...   
  
Kakashi looked at her, his eye staring at hers. He stayed silent for a while, as he kept his gaze on hers. "I'm trying to figure out if we can save you from this. From being forced to do something you're not willing to do."   
  
He was right. She had been wrong to assume, because she hadn't thought it'd be this he was thinking. Save her from this? Hermione frowned at him. She still didn't understand what he meant but wasn't sure how to ask him to clarify. Did this mean he _was_ willing?   
  
His eye softened and he looked down at their hands. "I meant what I said before, Hermione. While I have no previous experience with something quite like this, I'm no stranger to having intercourse with someone."  
  
Hermione's eyes widened at that. He'd had sex before? Well, of course, it's _his_ life. Who's she to say what he should and shouldn't do in his spare time. Still, she didn't know what to think of this. Did this mean there was someone else? Had he actually been seeing someone, in one way or another? "Is there someone-"   
  
"No." He interrupted her before she could even ask if she ruined his chance with someone else by just being here.   
  
"And have you- I mean, after we've met?" The words escaped her lips before she knew what she was asking.   
  
"No." His response was immediate. "This was before we met." His answers did little to ease her mind. Suddenly she felt like a first year again, thrown into a N.E.W.T exam. She had no idea what to do or what to expect when it came to sex and anything to do with it. And Kakashi, he was apparently familiar enough with everything to speak about it in such a calm manner.   
  
"You two need to talk this through as I'm sure you need to do about a lot of other stuff." Sirius said, causing her to jump up. She had totally forgotten he was still here. "Before I leave you to talk, again, I'll answer your questions."   
  
Kakashi turned to the older man, to show he was listening, but didn't remove his hand from where it lay on top of Hermione's. There were no words to describe how much she appreciated the sentiment.   
  
There was no smirk on his face as he looked at the both of them. "Simply put… No. There's no other way. This bond that has formed between the two of you cannot be broken," he stressed. "If you try, it's only going to hurt."  
  
Hermione knew she didn't want anything to do with that pain. She'd felt it before, when Kakashi had forcefully pushed her out. She'd do anything not to feel pain like that again. "I'm not going to lie, I am a bit concerned about the pace at which it's progressing between the two of you." Sirius said. "This is not at all going at the pace as it's supposed to."  
  
"Is that a bad thing?"   
  
"Not necessarily. But it does bring me to the question you asked earlier. What would happen if someone would try to break your bond?" Sirius took a sip of the tea that had cooled down considerably. "The two of you would be fine, in this case. Because it wouldn't be the two of you fighting the bond. The one trying to break it, however… They'd be driven mad. And there's little anyone here can do about that. Hell, back home barely anyone could do something about it."  
  
It was shocking to hear the severity of what would happen to whoever would want to break them apart, but it also relieved her to know both her and Kakashi would be fine in that case. With that being said, Sirius cleared his cup and placed it on the counter. "I'm going to give you some time and space. I'll take Teddy back to the Yamanaka's."  
  
"You'll be okay getting there?" Kakashi asked.   
  
"Of course I will. No need to worry. You too, Hermione. I'll protect the boy with my life."  
  
Hermione smiled at him. "I know you will. Thank you." She hoped he knew what she was thanking him for. With a wink and a small nod he left the room. A quiet pop was heard and both Sirius and Teddy were gone, leaving Kakashi and Hermione alone. The air around them was heavy, but not in a bad way, necessarily. She was nervous. This was going a lot faster than she had imagined and she was a little scared to discuss things that were so personal for her. She was _way_ out of her comfort zone.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Sirius appeared in front of the house he had visited only a few hours before, Teddy curled up in his arms. He knocked on the door and shifted the boy to be more comfortable.   
  
_"Black-san?"_ He was glad it was Inoichi that opened the door, it would save him a bit of explaining and lying through his teeth.   
  
_"Yamanaka-san,"_ he greeted. _"I know you probably weren't expecting me but both Hermione and Kakashi needed to talk things through. As it so happens, I have to go meet someone too. I assume you'll be okay with Teddy? I'd rather not take him."  
  
_ _"And I'm correct to assume you're not going to tell me about your meeting?"  
  
_ Sirius grinned at the younger man, _"you're absolutely right with that assumption. Don't worry. The Hokage is aware of this meeting."_ He really wasn't, but Inoichi didn't need to know that. He would be informed soon enough, one way or another. The blonde man didn't show it, but he did seem more relaxed. Good. He didn't want to have to worry about someone else following him.   
  
He knew, the moment he left the house, he was being followed. It was a feeling he had learned to trust the moment he'd escaped Azkaban and it hadn't let him down yet. His Apparation had been fast, but it would seem these individuals were quite fast too. No matter. He'd shake them off.   
  
Giving the small boy a cuddle and a soft whispered promise to play with him soon, he handed him to Inoichi and with a nod he left. After two paces, he Apparated away, appearing in an alley he'd seen before and quickly turned into his Animagus form.   
  
_"Shit. Where'd he go?"_ He heard a soft whisper above him.   
  
He was glad that his animal form had a heightened sense of hearing as well as smell. Ignoring the shinobi above him, he made his way down the street. While Sirius wasn't at all familiar with his surroundings, it wouldn't matter. He'd find the right district soon enough. There was always a certain smell, always loud noise due to the intoxicated people. It was the perfect place to meet. People let their guard down when intoxicated. They'd go unnoticed, without a doubt.   
  
Sirius padded through the streets, sticking mostly to the shadows. He wasn't sure how the people here would react to a seemingly stray dog. Luckily he'd learned to act like a dog after being on the run and becoming invisible.   
  
It didn't take him long at all, to find the correct place to go. Soon he was in a brightly lit district, surrounded by loud drunkards. Sirius skillfully avoided every single patron with the grace more linked to a cat than a dog. He kept walking until he passed all the open bars. None of them were his intended destination. No, the person he was meeting wouldn't appear in such a public place. It took a little while longer until he found the place he had been looking for. Sirius sped into the alley next to his destination and turned back into his human form.   
  
Straightening his clothes, he walked towards the front of the building. A small teahouse. Glancing inside, he noticed the person he was meeting sitting down at the back of the shop. With a smile, he headed inside.   
  
_"Welcome to Chado! How may I help you?"_ An old woman, possibly the owner greeted him as soon as he stepped inside.   
  
With a nod he gave his order. _"Chamomile tea please. A pot. For the table in the back."  
  
_ _"Of course, it'll be right out."_ With a nod to the woman he made his way towards the table.   
  
"Hi. It's been a while." He said with a smile as he sat down. He leaned back as he took in their appearance.   
  
"Took you long enough. I'm just about done with tea." The person sitting before him scoffed.   
  
"Well, that's too bad. I ordered another pot for us." He said with a grin.   
  
With a groan, the person sat back. "You and your tea. I'd rather have that Fire Whiskey of yours. Will you ever tell me how you make that?"   
  
Sirius let out a laugh at that. "All in due time, love. And of course I'll never tell you how to make it. You'll just take it and I'll never see you again. I need to have something for you to come back to me. First, however, I'd like a nice cup of tea while you tell me all about what you've been up to, Tsunade."  
  
Brown eyes met light grey as she smirked at him. "I might as well. After that, you're going to tell me how you ended up in Konoha, Sirius. It's about damn time you told me more about yourself. After everything."   
  
"About damn time, indeed." He said with a matching smirk. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment to share your thoughts!
> 
> Until next time!


	40. Lovers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi lovelies!
> 
> Okay, I can't help but try and update on a weekly basis, even if the chapters are a bit shorter than what they have been. As always, I apologise for any and all mistakes!
> 
> For this chapter the only warning I have is that things may get a little bit heated once again :')
> 
> I hope you enjoy~!

**Chapter 40: Lovers  
  
  
** Sirius let out a content sigh as he shifted a little in the bed he had found himself in. It was the same every time he met up with her. It was like they couldn't help themselves. Not that he was complaining, he was always up for a workout. Especially if the workout included her. And sex. Loads of sex. There was no shame in that. He was a man with needs, after all.   
  
"Mm," another content sigh was heard, this time from the woman in his arms. He wrapped his arms around her and held her to him as she put her head above his heart. Soft, delicate fingers traced one of the tattoos on his chest. It had surprised him, at first, that her fingers had been so delicate. As soon as he learned she was a medic, the surprise had subsided and it turned into awe. He'd always admired people who were able to save a human life without the use of magic, which is why he did respect Muggles for being able to do that.   
  
"Alright, love?" He asked softly as he stroked her bare back.   
  
"Looking for compliments?" She asked in return, he could feel her smirk as she said it, making him grin as well. She always did know how to turn the mood into something playful.   
  
"Of course not, Tsunade. Don't be ridiculous. I  _ know _ it was good. I never leave a woman wanting." Sirius replied cockily.   
  
The blonde woman responded with a loud laugh as she placed both arms on his chest, resting her chin on her arms. "Good to know your ego is still intact after all those months, Sirius."  
  
"Ego?" He asked, pretending to be affronted. "Not at all! I just know I'm skilled." He laughed as well, as he pressed a kiss to her temple. "All jokes aside, you good?"   
  
"Mhm," she hummed.   
  
"But?"   
  
Another sigh came from her as she moved from his embrace. She gave him a smile before turning and sitting up, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. As she sat there, Sirius let his eyes wander. He never had expected to end up here with her, not after their initial meeting. And what a meeting it had been, he thought.  
  
"I have to go." Tsunade said instead, not answering his question. She moved to stand up but before she could, Sirius reached out and grabbed her arm.   
  
"Stay." He said. Sirius never asked. He never begged. He knew begging wouldn't work, it never did. And he knew, deep down, she wouldn't stay. Yet, he felt it couldn't hurt to try.   
  
"I can't."   
  
"Can't, or won't?" He challenged.   
  
"Can't." She pressed. "If sensei finds out I'm here, there'll be trouble." Sirius let go of her arm. It was a weak argument, he knew. He understood, though, in a way. But he couldn't help to question her decision. Besides, they both knew that the leader of the village already knew she was here. So why even bother saying otherwise?   
  
"And what's the worst that can happen? That you have to start doing missions again, or work in the hospital? That you have to save lives?"   
  
Tsunade stood up and gathered her clothes, walking around the room collecting every item they had thrown across the room. She didn't say a word as she got dressed. Didn't even look at him. Once she was dressed, he watched her look around the room they had rented one more time. Making sure she didn't leave anything behind. He knew the drill by now. Didn't mean it didn't sting.   
  
In the meantime Sirius had propped up the pillow against the headboard and leaned against it as he watched her move around. Locking her gaze on his, she approached him once more and sat down. It was quite the contrast. Her being fully dressed. Him being fully naked, under the blanket of course. He cocked his head at her, waiting for her to say something.   
  
"I'm sorry."   
  
"I know, love. I just wished we didn't have to sneak around like teenagers." Merlin help him, he didn't want to be anything like Hermione and the brat. It was ironic, in a way.   
  
"I know. Me neither, but… I'm not ready. Not yet."  
  
Sirius nodded in understanding. He knew, after all, what she struggled with. He could tell her all of it. That he did know. That he understood. That she didn't have to worry. "I'll be here." He said instead. Because he knew a lot of things about her situation. Which meant he also knew that after everything, she still needed time. And he would give her as much as he could.   
  
"I know. Thank you." Tsunade leaned towards him, making her intention clear. He tilted his head and met her lips. It wasn't a passionate or hungry kiss like they had shared when they set foot in this room. Nor was it a slow one like they had shared after they had both finished. No, this was one with a promise. They'd see each other again, in the nearby future. She never could stay away from him for too long.   
  
"Stay safe. And try not to gamble away all your money, hm?"   
  
"Well, I do have to maintain my nickname," she said with a chuckle.   
  
"Please, you and I both know that's not the reason why your nickname is 'the Legendary Sucker'." He said with a smirk. Tsunade barked out a laugh at that and flashed him a matching smirk.   
  
"Count yourself lucky for knowing about that. If you're good, I might practice on you some more next time." And with a wave she left the room. Never a goodbye. In all their encounters, she had never said those words. When he had tried in the beginning, she had stopped him immediately, telling him to never utter those words. If he didn't say it, it was never really goodbye. He'd see her again, no doubt about it. He just didn't know when.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Kakashi kept his eye on Hermione as she fumbled with her hands. He may not have any experience with relationships, but he had his fair share of sexual encounters. They didn't all end up in actual sex, but he wasn't a stranger to it either way. Therefore, it didn't bother him as much to talk about it, to even accept it would be something that could happen. Sex was just that, sex.   
  
Hermione didn't seem to think of it like that, at all. With their bond stronger than ever at this moment, it wasn't hard to read her. She was nervous, embarrassed, ashamed and even scared. For her, he understood, this was an incredibly big deal. So he knew he had to tread carefully, he didn't want to upset her about something as mundane as sexual intercourse. He knew he'd have to find the cause of her fear. They needed to talk this through. Before he did so, he figured he'd make it easier for her to read him too. A little. Raising his hand towards his mask, he lowered it down to his neck. It was the least he could do.   
  
"What are you scared of?" He asked, figuring to get straight to the point.   
  
"I'm not scared," she replied.   
  
He raised an eyebrow and continued to stare her down. "Yes, you are. You're scared of something. I want to know what."  
  
"It doesn't matter."   
  
"It does if it concerns the prospect of us needing to have sex before we lose our minds." He stated bluntly. Kakashi watched her as she opened her mouth to reply, before she opted to not respond. He shifted in his chair to fully face her and got a little annoyed when she refused to meet his gaze. "You do understand the severity of our situation, right?"   
  
Hermione huffed in response, weaving a hand through her hair. "Of course I know."  
  
"Then why are you being so difficult?" Kakashi just didn't understand what the issue was. Couldn't she see that he was trying here? For the both of them?   
  
"I'm not." She said pointedly, he saw her eyebrows raise in annoyance but still she refused to meet his gaze. He had quite enough of that, now. Reaching out, his hand came up under her chin as he forced her to look at him. Even then it took a few moments before she would look him in the eye.   
  
"You  _ are _ . And I'm trying here. I'm trying to help you so that we can figure this out in a way that works for the both of us." Kami help him, he didn't think he'd ever be in this situation, coaxing answers from her. He actually seemed to be the relationship expert in this setting which terrified him, because he was anything but.  _ She  _ was supposed to be the one that knew about this stuff. So how the hell did they end up here?   
  
"It's nothing." She stressed, this time she kept his gaze, as if willing him to believe her. But he didn't. He knew she was lying. He could  _ feel _ it. So the moment she uttered those words, he was on his feet, back turned towards her.   
  
"Damn it, Hermione. Give me something! Give me  _ anything.  _ Because whether you like it or not, it  _ will _ have to happen at some point and I'd rather not be known as a fucking rapist for doing something against your will!" He yelled at her, completely losing his cool. And for the millionth time, he wondered, how the hell she managed to get under his skin so easily. He regretted yelling at her as he turned around and saw her freeze up, eyes wide. He really hadn't meant to yell at her this time around, but it honestly just happened.   
  
Just as he was about to apologise, however, she beat him to it. "I'm sorry. I didn't- I just-"   
  
"Hermione-" he sighed.   
  
"No. You're right. I'm sorry. Please don't think that I think that of you. Because I don't. Think that, I mean. I know you're not like that. It's just that, well, I'm probably making a big deal out of this, but I'm not - damn it." She closed her eyes and sighed, placing a hand on her forehead. "I'm not making any sense, I know."  
  
Kakashi didn't speak. He wanted to give her the time she needed to get it out, whatever it was. By now he had an idea of what this was about, he just didn't want to force her. This was about trust. And if there's anything they would need, it would be trust. She needed to trust him with this, as she would have to trust him with her in the nearby future.   
  
When she spoke next, her voice was soft, a near whisper. Luckily he didn't have to strain his ears, as he could easily hear her. "I haven't done anything like that before. Not really. I mean there was… when I was.. No. But it- it terrifies me. I mean, I've read about it in books, of course. I mean, I was curious and I wanted to know what all the fuss was about and honestly, reading about it didn't sound at all appealing so I never really got around to it. And I realise now that sounds very odd, it's not like I would plan a thing like that, but it was never the right time or it never felt right and-"  
  
"Geez, Hermione. Take a breath once in a while before you run out of air." Kakashi said jokingly, successfully stopping her from rambling even more. He was right, then. This was about inexperience  _ and  _ trust, mostly. He knew for a fact that reading about it wasn't at all like how it was described in a book, although he was quite curious as to what kind of book she had read in order to find out about having sex. Was it a romance novel? Or did she read something that explained the actual act in a scientific way? Speaking of reading. "Oh, I almost forgot." He said as he reached into his pocket and procured a wrapped object. She actually looked quite cute like this, stunned into silence. Wait,  _ cute _ ?   
  
"What?" She looked at him in confusion, before her eyes dropped to the gift in his outstretched hand.   
  
"Your belated birthday gift." Kakashi clarified after clearing his throat.  
  
Her hand slowly reached out and took the gift from him, carefully turning it around in her hands. "Oh, right."  
  
Note to self, do unexpected stuff to stop her from overthinking, Kakashi thought with a smirk on his face. This was just too easy.   
  
He watched as she slowly unwrapped the book he had gotten for her, slowly turning it in her hands. "I- thank you. It's in your language?"   
  
"Ah, yes. I know you aren't able to read it yet. But this is a children's book. And I figured it would be helpful. You know, with learning. And maybe, eh, for Teddy. I mean I saw you read to him once, so.. " He felt slightly embarrassed as he scratched the back of his head. It sounded like a good idea at the time, but now he wasn't so sure. The look on her face didn't give anything away, at all. This irked him, as he usually found her face easy to read. Was this a good thing? Had he made a mistake?   
  
Her finger slowly traced the line of the picture on the front. She gingerly opened the book and thumbed through it, softly touching the pages. "I really don't know what to say, Kakashi. This is… very thoughtful. Thank you so much." She stood up and quickly closed the distance between them. Hermione raised herself in her tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss on his bare cheek.   
  
Kakashi felt her linger, lips hovering over his skin. It was a split second decision, but he made it without second guessing it. He just couldn't get enough of her. He turned his head and captured her lips with his own, his arm quickly snaking around her waist to steady her. Her free hand rested against his chest as she leaned into the kiss. Opening his mouth, he let his tongue trace her lips before she reciprocated the movement. It didn't take long then, before their kiss became even more heated. He walked her backwards, only a few steps, until they reached the table again. Kakashi easily lifted her up on it, moving in between her legs as they kept their lips locked on each other.   
  
Taking the book from her hands, he placed it beside her on the table. He then entwined his fingers in her hair as his other hand rested on her hip. Kakashi felt her hands curl up in his shirt, holding onto him. Tilting her head, he kissed her even deeper. He really couldn't get enough of her.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione wasn't sure what had gotten into Kakashi, but she couldn't find it in her to stop him. Her lips melted against his and as soon as he set her down on the kitchen table, something inside her purred with joy that she could simply focus on him and only him. The hands curled in his shirt, pulled him towards her and there was no resistance whatsoever as he stepped even closer to her.   
  
It became a battle of lips and tongues and the everlasting fight against oxygen. The hand on her hip gripped her tightly as the hand in her hair pulled her head back, making her gasp out. The way Kakashi attacked her neck, told her he knew exactly what he was doing. Knew exactly what spots to go for. Weirdly enough, it made her feel safe in his hands. It almost made her forget what had happened not even five minutes before. Almost.   
  
Because it was mind-boggling to her that not even five minutes ago she was freaking out of the thought of doing anything sexual with Kakashi. The thought still scared her a little. She was so unsure of herself, she couldn't fathom anyone wanting to so anything like this with her. And the words Dolohov had uttered while he tortured her, when she believed he was Kakashi, still stuck with her. It made her even more hesitant believing Kakashi would actually want to be with her. While she knew it wasn't him, she couldn't help be reminded of it every now and then.   
  
It was clear that Kakashi noticed a change in her, as her mind took over. He stopped his attack on her neck and moved back, standing straight as he kept his hooded gaze on her. His hands remained where they were, a soft caress of his thumbs was the only movement he made as he looked at her.   
  
"I'm sorry," she said, once again apologising. Hermione wasn't sure what she was apologising for this time. That she stopped him from continuing. That she killed the mood? She let go of his shirt, holding her hands in her lap as she thumbed the edge of her sweater.   
  
"I already told you not to do that." He said with a sigh, but as she looked at him he didn't seem upset at all. More, concerned? The feeling she got from him through the bond confirmed that it was. He was concerned yet he didn't speak anymore, waiting for her to say whatever was on her mind. And she should. Shouldn't she? Hermione knew that she needed to trust him. That she  _ could  _ trust him. Especially with this. He'd understand, right?   
  
"There's something I haven't told you, I haven't told anyone. Something that happened when… When Dolohov was… You know." She said with a shrug and a wave of her hand, not feeling comfortable to speak the words. "And while my body doesn't remember, doesn't know, because it hadn't happened physically, my mind  _ does _ remember. I just can't seem to forget it."  
  
"What happened?"   
  
"W-well, as you know, he showed me things. In my mind. He said things. There was a reason I couldn't bear to be near you at the time. He made me believe it was you who inflicted everything. He made me believe  _ you _ tortured me."   
  
"Right." Kakashi said as he frowned at her.   
  
"I know that wasn't the case, Kakashi. So please don't think I look at you like that. It just pops up in my head sometimes." Having him think that she was scared of him was not something she wanted.   
  
"Are you feeling like that now?" He asked. "With me touching you like this?"   
  
"I- no." She shook her head.  
  
"How about this?" He said as he moved the hand from her hair to cup her cheek. His thumb was softly caressing her cheek. She looked him in the eye as her breath hitched at his touch.   
  
"No," she said softly. Her heart was beating like crazy at his gentle touches.   
  
"And now?" Kakashi's thumb moved to her lips, tracing them as her lips parted at the touch. Hermione didn't trust her voice so just softly shook her head, feeling his thumb caress her lips as she moved her head.   
  
His other hand moved from its position on her hip towards her arm, his fingers then touched her arm as they made their way up to her shoulder, up her neck and to her face. The back of his fingers caressed her cheek before cupping that cheek as well. "How about now?"   
  
Another shake of her head.   
  
"Tell me when it gets too much. I'll stop straight away." He said. She simply nodded in response, still not trusting her voice.   
  
He moved slowly, making sure she knew exactly what he was doing. His touches were soft and gentle. There wasn't a single doubt in her mind that he wouldn't do all the things Dolohov had made her believe he would. And she knew now, that she could trust him. With everything. He'd proven that she could, hadn't he? She  _ did _ trust him. With her body and mind. He would keep her safe. She needed to believe he would. And she would.   
  
Hermione closed her eyes as Kakashi tilted her head up, and leaned down to kiss her again. She melted against him as he held her face and kept kissing her. Her hands found their way back to the front of his shirt, using it to once again pull him closer to her. Hermione just couldn't get enough of kissing him. Never before had she felt this way while kissing. The snogging she had done with both Victor and Ron while she 'dated' them was nothing compared to this.   
  
A few moments later, Kakashi broke the kiss, their breaths intermingled as he rested his forehead on hers. Once again his hands moved. This time one trailed from her neck, to her shoulder, down her back. "Is this still okay?" He asked.   
  
"Yes," she responded. She both loved and hated how breathless she sounded. How he managed to take her breath away with a simple kiss that she knew was anything  _ but _ simple.   
  
His hand trailed down even further, resting on her behind as he pushed her towards him, causing her to open her legs wider to fit his body between her legs. Being this close to him, she felt his hardened length just like she had before, in the bedroom. The groan he released did things to her she couldn't even begin to explain.   
  
"And this?" He sounded just as breathless as she was, now. She moaned in response as she tried to answer him that, yes, this was okay, too. He nuzzled her hair and started nibbling on her neck, making her gasp. His teeth felt sharp against her skin but instead of being fearful, it only added to her arousal. Kakashi chuckled against her skin, "you have to use your words, Hermione." He teased her again, just like before. "Is this still alright?"  
  
"Merlin,  _ yes _ ." She all but moaned.   
  
"You smell so good," he groaned near her ear and she couldn't help but softly moan in response.   
  
A second later he stepped away and she would never ever admit to having made the sound that came out of her mouth. She was never going to admit she  _ whined _ . Merlin, this man would be the death of her.  
  
"I think this is enough for now," Kakashi said breathlessly.   
  
"Why?" Hermione all but demanded. She couldn't help it, he had made her feel so good and she couldn't help but feel disappointed that he had stopped.   
  
"If I don't now, Hermione, I don't think I would be able to stop." Kakashi admitted.   
  
"Oh."  Any other reply died on her lips at his admission. While she wouldn't have minded to continue his exploration of her body to find out what was okay and what wasn't, she couldn't help but feel a huge appreciation towards him, for being so understanding.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
As soon as he got dressed, Sirius made his way outside the rented room. He made sure everything was in order, that nothing was left behind. He even threw a cleaning spell across the room, just in case. Pulling up the collar of his coat, he made his way outside giving a small nod to the lady at the front desk before stepping outside.   
  
He had underestimated this shinobi that had followed him before, however, because as soon as he stepped outside, he was greeted by a masked man.  _ "Please follow me, Black-san. The Hokage is expecting you."   
  
_ _ "Hello to you, too." _ He said. When no reply was given, he sighed.  _ "Alright mate. Lead the way."   
  
_ The masked man nodded and reached out with his hand.  _ "Take it. I'd rather not make the Sandaime wait because you decided to try and disappear again."   
  
_ Sirius smirked at the sound of the voice of the masked man.  _ "I take it you didn't like trying to find me, then?"   
  
_ _ "I  _ did _ find you."  _ The man said with a tilt of his head.   
  
_ "Mhm, and how long did it take you?"   
  
_ _ "Not as long as you might think. Had enough time to find you  _ and _ report to the Hokage  _ who _ I found you with."  
  
_ Sirius knew. Tsunade had mentioned an Anbu dropping in on their location. At the question if anything should be done about it, Tsunade had simply shrugged and said she didn't care. She couldn't wait any longer. And neither could he. It had been too long since he'd seen her, felt her, made love to- no. Fucked her. He could never admit to her how he had started feeling about her, knowing that he would scare her off. Her heart belonged to someone else. Someone who couldn't reciprocate her love, simply because he was no longer able to.   
  
_ "Ah, yes. But only after we got naked and fucked each other's brains out. So you didn't find me that fast, now did you?"   
  
_ The man didn't speak for a moment. Sirius knew he had thrown him off with his comment. Not that he cared, he knew the man knew they slept together.   
  
_ "Just take my hand, Black-san. I really don't want to keep him waiting."  
  
_ _ "Alright, alright, mate. Don't get your knickers in a twist. Let's go."  _ He took hold of the outstretched hand and within a blink of an eye he stood inside the Hokage's office. Desk jobs were never for him, he thought. He knew it was late and night and yet, the old man was still working. It must be tiring.   
  
_ "Good evening, sir." _ He figured being polite would be a good way to start.  
  
"Please, sit. Crow, you're dismissed." The Hokage said, switching to English and a second later they were alone. "Hm. I should've known that if you knew Jiraiya, you would know my other student as well." He started.   
  
Sirius figured it wouldn't do him any good to beat around the bush, so he didn't bother. "Yes. I actually met her before I met Jiraiya."   
  
"Oh?"   
  
"Yeah she was the one that found me. When I appeared here." Sirius started explaining, but then stopped. While the man knew of how he got here, he never mentioned what had happened  _ after  _ he had arrived her. And he wasn't sure he wanted to start now. This was getting personal, and he didn't really do personal. Not with someone who could easily use it against him. So he did what he thought was best. He stayed silent.   
  
"I understand your apprehension to tell me anymore. Just tell me this, if you please. She's well?"   
  
"She's Tsunade," Sirius shrugged.   
  
The older man chuckled. "I suppose you're right about that." Then he sighed, "very well. I'll let it slide for now." Sirius knew what wasn't said. They would be watched more closely now, they couldn't screw around now without being on their toes. Not that either of them cared for that. Both were skilled enough to keep themselves out of trouble. Mostly.   
  
"Of course, sir. Anything else?"   
  
"No, that was all. Just… If you go back to Kakashi's home, take the long route." The man said with a wink.   
  
"The kids are at it,  _ again? _ " Sirius said with a smirk. "Oh, to be young." He chuckled.   
  
"To be young, indeed."   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
"We're getting nowhere with this." Harry groaned, throwing the scroll across the room. All he'd been doing was searching and researching in a continuous loop. He'd spoken to everyone that could have any idea of where Hermione and Remus could have gone. He'd had hoped to find out more when he had visited Andromeda, but that hope was quickly shattered when she admitted she hadn't seen or heard from Remus either. Shortly after that he went from being an investigator to comforting Andromeda. He really couldn't blame her distress. She'd already lost so much, quite like Harry had. So he had made her a promise, one he intended to keep. He would find Hermione  _ and  _ Remus and Teddy. He'd bring them home to her. But with every passing day he lost faith in keeping his promise. With every passing day he found that there was a good possibility he'd never find them and they would never get back home.   
  
"Take a break, Harry. All you've been staring at are those scrolls for days on end." Ginny said as she came up behind him.   
  
"I can't stop, Gin. She gotta be somewhere. All of them have got to be somewhere." Harry didn't look at her, keeping his eyes on the papers scattered on his desk. Everything looked fuzzy and he frustratingly rubbed his eyes.  
  
"Of course they are, but how can you be of any help to them when you can't even take care of yourself?"   
  
"I've been taking care of myself just fine." He replied with a slight annoyance, he needed to focus and she wasn't helping at the moment.  
  
"Oh really? When's the last time you took a bath?" She asked.   
  
"Yesterday." He said in a matter-of-fact tone.   
  
"Which day was yesterday?" Ginny countered.   
  
"Tuesday."  
  
"It's Sunday, Harry." His girlfriend sighed. "You're losing track of time and while I love you, I'm not going to let you work yourself into the ground." She grabbed his arm and pulled him up. "So, go take a bath or a shower. I'll order us some food and after that we can look at it together, okay?"   
  
"I-"   
  
"Please, Harry." Ginny begged him.   
  
"Er, yeah. Okay." Harry stood up, giving Ginny a kiss on her cheek. "Thanks, love. You're the best."  
  
After an extended shower, Harry admittedly felt a lot better. He needed to listen to Ginny more often. Once he was dressed again, he found Ginny had kept her promise of food and he happily dug in after finding out he was actually starving.   
  
Feeling refreshed and recharged, both Ginny and Harry worked through all the information they had found, creating a timeline and a new list of people to contact. New people were added, broadening their search. He hated to admit even Malfoy made the list. Then again, with his previous ties to the Death Eaters, he was their only chance of finding out why they were at the cottage.   
  
A knock in the door made Harry jump up, wand at the ready. He hadn't even realised he had fallen asleep. Another knock turned his attention to the door. There weren't a lot of people that knew where he was staying, and even less knew how to access the house. Harry made his way towards the front door and took no time opening it.   
  
Of all the people he thought would be knocking at his door, he hadn't expected Aberforth Dumbledore. The man looked down at him with a grim expression. "Mr. Potter." He said in greeting. "I have news. Regarding Hermione Granger. May I come in?"  
  
Harry stood there, speechless and wide-eyed. Finally. A lead.   
  
"Please, Mr. Dumbledore." He said as he let the man in. He couldn't wait to find out what the man had to say. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think!
> 
> As I've said before, the comments do help to motivate me and sometimes even inspire me for the coming chapters <3
> 
> Until next time!


	41. A Glance into the Pensieve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovelies!
> 
> It's time again for another chapter! Nothing much to say other than I hope every single one of you is still safe, especially with this week's chaos. I'm not based in the States, but I do hope you'll get some good news soon.
> 
> In the meantime, I hope this will serve as nice distraction!
> 
> Lots of thanks to my friend for helping me check this chapter <3
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy!

**Chapter 41: A Glance into the Pensieve  
  
  
** There wasn't really a way to describe how Hermione felt about the last month or two. After she and Kakashi talked things out about their bond and her fear after Dolohov's torture, a lot changed. For one, every time they found themselves alone, Kakashi would touch her in places, all over her body, asking if she was okay with it. Nothing too intimate, of course. Just certain places on her arms or back. Innocent touches, really. She'd accused him once of mentally mapping her body, which he of course denied. With a smirk.   
  
He had made sure to not wear his mask when they were alone, making all her nightmares less believable. He was never maskless in her nightmares after all. All these little moments they shared, all the touches and kisses they shared made her feel more and more at ease. Made her trust him even more. Hermione had been quite surprised, pleasantly so, to find that Kakashi quite enjoyed kissing her. It was such a shame they couldn't do it more often, because Hermione would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy it just as much.   
  
The time she didn't spend with Kakashi, usually when he was on missions, she spent it with Teddy, Sirius and the Yamanaka's. And after her first try, she'd tried the mirror again a couple of times during the weeks that followed until she finally made contact. She cried when she saw Aberforth Dumbledore on the other side. It was nice to see a familiar face, besides Sirius' face of course. Apparently he had no clue she'd been missing, which made her wonder what on earth had happened while she had been here.   
  
While the older man had been calm, she had noticed his surprise as he noticed Sirius sitting beside her. Then came the speculations she'd had before, regarding the Veil. Because how  _ did _ that work? She still didn't know. Hermione would need to research it and there's no way of that happening while she was in Konoha. Unfortunately Aberforth could not give her any information on it either. Maybe it's something that someone else could answer. She did make a mental list of all the things to check if she ever had the chance to. Or to ask someone who had.   
  
Currently she was adding a few more things to that list as she waited with Kakashi and Inoichi in the hallway outside of the Hokage's office. It was time for her weekly meeting and lately they had been discussing the events around her kidnapping. It had been hard for her to talk about it and today was the first time both Kakashi and Inoichi would be there as well, making her even more nervous. In her bag, she carried Remus' pensieve. Sirius had finally managed to unlock it from the package and they had already tried it with a few memories to see if it worked. It had actually been Sirius' idea to bring it with her, suggesting to use this to prove she's speaking the truth. While they had given her no indication that they didn’t actually believe her, having a visual of everything couldn’t hurt. She just hoped they’d be willing to give it a go.  
  
Suddenly Kakashi and Inoichi stood up, snapping her back to the present. _"The Hokage will see us now."_ Inoichi said with a soft smile. With a nod, she got up and followed the two men into the office. As they entered she noticed the Hokage sitting at his desk. She saw Shikaku standing to his right, who gave them a nod.   
  
_ “Ah, right on time. Please, sit.” _ The Hokage said as he signalled for them to sit down.  _ “I’ll get straight to the point. We all know what this is about. While I’ve already spoken to you, Hermione-san. I feel like there were still bits and pieces being left out and I need to know  _ everything  _ in this case. We’ll need to go over it once again, make sure you haven’t forgotten anything.” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Right, of course, Hokage-sama.” _ Hermione said while fumbling with her bag.    
  
_ “Yes?” _ He said as he sensed her hestitance.    
  
_ “Well, um.” _ Why was this so hard to say?  _ “I may have a way for you to get all the information you need without the chance of me forgetting to mention something.”  _ She said.  _ “I mean, I could just show you.” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Show us? How?” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “I have something here,” _ she said as she put her hand in her bag, feeling around for the object. As she pulled it out, she continued.  _ “It’s called a pensieve. We, um, use it to review our memories.” _ _   
_   
_ “And how would that work?” _ Shikaku asked as he eyed the object.   
  
_ “I take the memory of what happened and put it in the bowl. You can then relive my memories, sort of. You can’t change anything, of course. But it’ll give you the information that you need, hopefully.”  _ She explained.  _ “And in order for you to see that, you’ll need to put your face into the liquid.” _ Hermione looked at all of them, trying to decipher the looks on their faces, but naturally she had no idea what they were thinking.   
  
_ “How many of us can watch it at the same time?”  _ The Hokage asked.   
  
_ “Oh, um, well, as you can obviously see it’s not that big when it’s like this. But I can enlarge it. It could easily fit four or five people then.” _ Hermione said, eyeing everyone in the room.   
  
_ “Very well.”  _ The Hokage said. _ “I’m intrigued to see how this works. Shikaku, keep an eye out while we delve in.” _ _   
_   
_ “Of course, Hokage-sama.” _   
  
_ “Inoichi, you will join in as well.” _ The Hokage said, looking at her left.    
  
_ “Hokage-sama, I’d like to watch it too. It’ll help clarify some things for me too, regarding the mission.” _ Kakashi spoke up from her right. She could feel the determination coming from Kakashi. She knew he wanted to know exactly what had happened to her, especially because a big part of that caused her issues with him now. If he were to see what had happened to her, maybe it would be easier for her to let go.   
  
_ “I’m not sure if-” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “If I may, sir. I think it’d be best if he joins us, Hokage-sama.” _ Inoichi interrupted.  _ “He’ll be able to support Hermione in ways we might not be able to. And knowing what I know so far, I think it can’t hurt to have him there.”  
  
_ The Hokage sighed as he looked at the silver-haired shinobi next to her. “ _ Very well. Keep yourself in check.” _ He warned. Kakashi only nodded in return  
  
  
_ “Do you need anything else to make it work, Hermione-san?” _ He then asked her.    
  
_ “Just my memory, sir.” _ She replied. She stood up, placing the pensieve on the Hokage’s desk. Taking out her wand, she whispered an ‘ _ Engorgio’ _ . The pensieve tripled in size, easily fitting herself and the three shinobi joining her, just as she had said it would. She then pointed the tip of her wand against her temple, closing her eyes to focus on the memory she’d be showing them. Scrunching up her eyebrows, she felt the memory materialize as she moved the wand slowly away from her temple. Guiding the memory-string towards the pensieve, she dropped it and watched it swirl around.  _ “Okay, it’s ready.” _   
  
Hermione felt Inoichi and Kakashi come up behind her, taking their place next to her. The Hokage stood up as well. With a wave of her wand, the pensieve started to hover a little, making it easier for everyone to access it. She noticed all of them were waiting for her to make the first move, which she decided to do. This was going to be weird for all of them, her included. She’d only used the pensieve once, after the war, during one of her holidays when she visited Remus.   
  
Bending forward, she put her face into the liquid and let herself be transported into her memory. A short second later, the three shinobi stood next to her, looking at their surroundings in surprise. They were in Kakashi’s home and someone easily fit into the room while being able to see everything clearly. _ “So, now what?”  _ Kakashi asked.   
  
_ “Now we watch,” _ she said as she pointed at herself when she was still living at Kakashi’s house. Hermione watched herself sitting, reading a book. A moment later she sighed and closed the book, looking at the clock. They all watched her make her way towards the backroom, knocking on the door. She felt Kakashi stiffen next to her, remembering as well that he had left the lights on when he was called away for a mission. She grabbed his hand and gave his hand a soft squeeze. _ “It’s not your fault.” _ She said before turning back to her memory. He didn’t say anything, but gave her hand a squeeze in return.   
  
They watched as her memory continued, until everything turned black as she lost consciousness due to the hit on the back of her neck.   
  
  
  
-   
  
  
  
Kakashi wanted to track down those Root-operatives as they took both Teddy and Hermione from his house. He still wasn’t sure how he could’ve messed up like this. A small voice in the back of his head said he wasn’t to blame. He’d gone on a mission after all. Yet he felt responsible for this.   
  
It took a small moment for the dark to dissipate as Hermione woke up again. It only dissipated a little, the entire room was barely lit. It wouldn’t surprise him if she couldn’t see anything at all. Looking around, he noticed they were in a cell. Past-Hermione sat up suddenly, looking freaked out as she looked around in confusion. They watched her move around, getting a feel for where she was. Past-Hermione reached into her pocket and took out the wand of her friend and whispered something. Suddenly light came from the tip of the wand, showing all of them where she was. There wasn’t a lot of information to be gathered from their surroundings. Nothing stood out to him. If he hadn’t found the building with his team, he couldn’t have guessed where this was. They all watched her look around as she whispered another phrase, but nothing happened.    
  
“It’s a spell that reveals humans if they’re near,” Hermione explained to them. She smiled as they all looked at her. “I figured it couldn’t hurt to clarify.” She said with a shrug.    
  
“If we speak, nothing happens?” Inoichi asked as he looked at Past-Hermione.  
  
“We’re not in the past, Inoichi-san. It’s a memory. There’s nothing you can change.” Well, that made sense, Kakashi thought. “You could even walk around, if you want. It’ll give you different views on a single memory. It’s what the pensieve is used for, really.”   
  
With a nod, Inoichi stepped away from the group and moved towards the bars. He hesitantly touched them, before he walked straight through them. “Hm, interesting.” He said to himself. A loud clang got the attention from all the visitors, as Past-Hermione whispered something again, killing the light on the tip of her wand.   
  
They watched as the memory progressed, from her meeting Danzo, to Hermione biding her time before she escaped with Teddy. She explained to them what it was she had done to the guard that had given her her food. Explained that she had the ability to enter one’s mind and gather information like that. Kakashi was lying if he said he wasn’t surprised at that. Obviously, it made sense that the wizards would have a way to do so, especially if they had a device to view memories. The part that felt unsettling to him was her being able to change the guy’s memories. If she could do that, supposedly without the guy knowing.. Did that mean she had done the same to him? He’d like to believe she didn’t. But he couldn’t be sure, could he?   
  
His attention then focused on the new guard that manhandled her, again knocking her out. It was frustrating that they couldn’t see anything happening every time she lost consciousness, which made sense of course, but still. The next time they could see again, they were standing in a small room, Hermione dumped into a chair. He was surprised to see they hadn’t bound her , which meant they hadn’t known what she could do at all. The door opened, causing everyone to turn their heads to see who entered. Kakashi felt his eye widen at the sight of himself standing there. It wasn’t him, of course. He was on a mission so it couldn’t have been him. But he could see how she would think it was, given their rocky relationship at that time.   
  
It was a bit weird watching someone who clearly didn’t know him very well pretending to be him. He was immensely proud to watch her try and take a swing at him. It had no use, of course, but it made him think he should probably teach her some small stuff. It couldn’t hurt either way. She then proceeded to elbow her attacker and then took out her wand, saying another spell. After a long pause, the henge was undone. Another Root-operative stood in front of them. He smirked at the confusion of the man and when he lunged for her, Past-Hermione disappeared from the room and it was incredibly weird to see the sensation of her way of teleportation. Suddenly they were in the next room, Hermione had already fired another attack and the nin in that room stood frozen in place as she took the small boy into her arms and disappeared once again.  
  
Next, they watched as she ran for cover, hiding herself and the boy. It wasn’t long until they had chased her into the forest. The same forest where he had found the boy. Up until now, none of them had really spoken, The Hokage hadn’t even made as much as a sound. He spared the old man a glance but his face didn’t betray anything as he as well took everything around them in. Kakashi clenched his jaw and curled his free hand into a fist in anger as he watched Hermione fight for her life, yet not standing a chance. It was like they were toying with her and he couldn’t wait to get his hands on them, returning the favor.  
  
As they followed Hermione in her memory, he turned his head to watch the tree she had used to hide Teddy. He knew he would find the boy shortly after, but he couldn’t help but worry about the little boy being left there. She did it to protect him, of course, and she was lucky he went after her. But what if he hadn’t? What would’ve happened to the boy? It wasn’t long before the memory picked up again, after yet another blackout. The sight of her strapped in a chair absolutely pissed him off and he had to remind himself he couldn’t do anything other than watch as he saw that foul man walk in with a smirk on his ugly-ass face.    
  
While he had heard her screams when he was outside of the building, it was absolutely  _ nothing _ compared to standing in the room with her. Kakashi could feel her gripping his hand and shortly after his arm tight. It was odd to see, really. The man, Dolohov, wasn’t inflicting any physical damage, which they knew. She had told them this much. But to see it... Fuck.   
  
“How much more?” Kakashi asked through gritted teeth. He couldn’t handle any more of this. He was just about to smash everything. Anything and everything. It was a shame he’d already killed the man, he’d gladly do it again only then he would take his time. Make the man suffer. He’d show him torture.   
  
“Not long,” Hermione assured him. “I’m sorry.” She then said.    
  
“Don’t apologise. This is not your fault.”    
  
And she had been right. It didn’t take long. While she had been groggy when he had appeared, somehow they saw him clear as day, a hand plunged through Dolohov’s chest. The vision then disappeared, the memory ending as all of them stood back up. He was surprised to find his face dry, while he definitely had his face into the liquid of the pensieve. He no longer held hands with Hermione, that too had only happened while they had been inside the memory. Interesting. He wondered how much time had gone by during their trip to memory lane.   
  
“Everyone alright?” Shikaku asked, causing Kakashi to turn and look at him. The man was eyeing all of them, checking to see if there was anything off.   
  
“We’re good, Shikaku.” The Hokage assured. “It was just… a bit disturbing to watch, is all.”   
  
Kakashi knew the Hokage wasn’t a stranger to torture. It was a part of their lives after all. But watching someone who  _ wasn’t _ a shinobi get tortured like that. It didn’t sit well with him. Movement to his left caught his attention as Hermione shrunk the pensieve again, carefully pocketing it again.    
  
“Inoichi, please stay behind, I want to discuss a few more things with you. Shikaku, you can go. Kakashi, you too but stay with Hermione for now.”   
  
With a nod, he guided Hermione outside. A quick glance at the clock told him only a few minutes had passed. That was even more interesting. Hermione didn’t speak all the while they walked through the village. Instead of leading her towards her new home, he took her to his. He figured she’d need time to process all this information. He would too, but he’d rather not lose sight of her. Not after what he saw. If it were up to him, he wouldn’t lose sight of her ever again. He’d protect her with everything he had.   
  
  
  
-   
  
  
  
"Please, Mr. Dumbledore, have a seat." Harry let the man into his home, guiding him to the sitting room. On his way there, he passed Ginny who gave him a confused look. With a nod, he told her to join them.  
  
"Thank you, Mr. Potter. I apologise for coming by unannounced." The older man said as he sat down on one of the seats in the room.   
  
"Please, don't. You're welcome anytime." Harry said. "You said you had information about Hermione?" He sat down across from him. "Tea?"   
  
"Maybe something stronger is better," Aberforth said in response. Harry nodded and with a flick of his wand he summoned a couple of glasses and a bottle of Fire Whiskey. He poured each a generous glass and gave one to each of them.   
  
"Hermione?" Ginny said as she joined the men, sitting down as well, "do you know where she is?"   
  
Aberforth hummed as he took a sip from his drink. "Not exactly. But I have spoken to her, which is why I'm here now."  
  
"Spoken to her? You've spoken to her? Is she alright?" Harry knew he was firing question after question but he had never expected this news to come to him. There were so many more questions running through his mind. Where was she? Why didn't she contact him? Why didn't she come home? Was she in trouble?   
  
"I understand you have questions, maybe this will answer a few of them." The man said as he took something out of his pocket. Wait, was that…?   
  
"A mirror?" Ginny asked. What are we supposed to do with a mirror?  
  
"I have one of those," Harry said. "Hold on." He stood up and went to his bedroom. He had kept the piece of his father's mirror hidden away. And as he searched he realised he may have hidden it away too well since he couldn't find it. "Damn it.  _ Accio  _ mirror!" He said, trying to summon the mirror, but nothing happened. "Shit."  
  
Running back down he looked at Aberforth with a frown on his face. The man patiently looked back at him. "You knew I didn't have my mirror anymore, didn't you?"   
  
"It had crossed my mind, yes." Aberforth said calmly. "Seeing as I have the other one and I know I haven't been speaking to you this past week."  
  
"Then who?"   
  
"Seriously Harry, I love you, but sometimes I wonder how the hell you stayed alive all this time." Ginny said with a sigh. "He means Hermione, of course." She said before turning to Aberforth. "Right?"   
  
"I'm glad someone is keeping a cool head here," he commented after nodding in affirmation. "But yes, I've been speaking to Ms. Granger."  
  
Harry opened his mouth to fire another barrage of questions, but was stopped when Aberforth raised his hand. "Before you ask any other questions, how about I explain some things first, hm?"   
  
"Right. Of course, yeah. Sorry." Harry moved towards where Ginny was sitting and sat down as well. He picked up his glass and downed the Fire Whiskey in one go.   
  
The pair then listened to Aberforth Dumbledore as the man explained how he noticed his mirror connecting to the piece of its twin. At first he had thought it had been Harry, and was only mildly surprised when he saw Hermione instead. That was until she explained what had happened to her, which Aberforth didn't say. Saying instead that that was up to Hermione to say.   
  
"So, it's only fair that I inform you of this as well."  
  
"But why didn't you come here straight away?"   
  
"She asked me not to." The old man said calmly. "She wanted me to reach out to you as soon as she was ready. There's a lot she has to say."   
  
Harry wanted to pull his hair out. What the hell was happening? Why wouldn't Hermione want to speak to them straight away? Had he done something wrong? He knew he hadn’t been there for her as much as he had wanted to, but... shit. Shit. What the hell was he going to do now? Were they going to just accept this? Damn it, he needed to talk to her. And he would have to talk with the others- Merlin. He needed to tell everyone else about this too. Everyone was worried sick, he couldn’t not tell them. With that thought in mind, Harry shot up.   
  
"What are you doing, Harry? Where are you going?" Ginny worriedly asked as she shot up as well.   
  
"We need to tell the others, I mean, they need to know!" He called as he moved to leave the room.    
  
“Harry, wait. Wait!” Ginny called. “Stop and think for a moment. Mr. Dumbledore just said Hermione didn’t talk to us straight away because she needed to be ready. We don’t know what’s happened to her and we don’t know in what kind of state she is. I know the others need to know, but she didn’t ask for the others, did she? She asked for  _ you. _ So let’s just see what she has to say before we overwhelm her with all the questions everyone will have.”   
  
Ginny was right, once again. He appreciated her being so level-headed. “Damn it. Okay, yeah. You’re right of course. I’m sorry, love.”   
  
“Please,” Ginny jokingly scoffed. “You’d be lost without me. Now, come on. I think we should hear Mr. Dumbledore out some more.”   
  
Harry followed Ginny back into their sitting room, “I’m sorry about that. It’s just- I’ve been worried sick and trying to find Hermione for weeks on end now. To just hear about it now, out of the blue, is a bit unexpected.”    
  
“That’s already. Still rash as ever, hm?” Aberforth commented with a knowing smile.   
  
“Eh, yeah.” Harry responded sheepishly. “So, well, I’m happy to hear we at least have some information now, about ‘Mione. When can we talk to her?”   
  
Aberforth took out a pocket watch and checked the time. “Hm, well, I had arranged to meet in about fifteen minutes or so. So not too long, now. How about you calm yourself down a bit more. We don’t want to make it any harder for her than this will already be.”   
  
“Right. Yes. I’m going to freshen up and I suppose then we’ll wait until she calls, right?” Harry said as he moved to go to the bathroom to do just that.   
  
“Sound plan.”   
  
He would get to see his best friend again. Finally.  
  
  
  
-   
  
  
  
“What do you think?” Hiruzen asked as he looked out of the window of his office. He hadn’t expected young Hermione to have such an item in her possession and it apparently was a very handy item. The events that happened in her memory had been known to him, but only in ways of someone telling him. Seeing it was different. He saw the fear on her face, the pain. She wasn’t a shinobi and it was not something he had wished for her to go through. Despite that, she handled herself extremely well. He knew she’d been to war, of course. Inoichi had told him what he had learned, and she had mentioned it before. Hiruzen just hadn’t expected her to be  _ that  _ brave when being tortured. She hadn’t been lying when she had said she would do anything to protect young Teddy.   
  
“I think that was worse than I had initially expected.” Inoichi confessed. “I mean, she obviously didn’t tell us everything, especially regarding what she could do. We expected that. But I didn’t think she would downplay what had happened to her.”   
  
Hiruzen hummed at that. “Well, at least now we know for certain that Danzo  _ was _ responsible for taking her. This, combined with the camera footage we have, should definitely be enough to keep him detained. And we can definitely link this to the disappearances of those, what did she call them, Death Eaters?”   
  
“Yeah, that’s still an issue. I still haven’t found the mole in T&I. I’ve worked through most of them, but it takes time. We don’t want to raise any flags in case Danzo is still getting information on that.” Inoichi explained.    
  
“And no idea where the body of her friend is either?”   
  
“No, nothing. Which concerns me too.”   
  
“Well, it’s unfortunate we cannot use her memories as evidence, but it helps that we’ve seen it as well. We’ll just have to find a way to convince everyone of it.” The Sandaime said. “Alright. Keep an eye on her. I’d rather not have her alone at the moment. And make sure the boy is protected as well.”   
  
“Of course, Hokage-sama.”   
  
“And would you mind informing Black-san that I need to speak with him? I’d like to know what he can say about all of this.” Surely the man could shed some light on the spells Hermione had used. Of course, he’d rather ask Hermione, but she was in no state to do so right now.   
  
“Yes, Hokage-sama. I’ll let him know. Anything else?”   
  
“No, that’s all. Dismissed.” He heard Inoichi leave the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts. His mind went over all the events again. He’d have to ask Sirius if shinobi would be able to use the pensieve as well. It would make interrogations a lot easier. Then again, he doubted it worked like that.    
  
Thinking about everything else, it saddened him immensely to learn his old friend had fallen so deep. He knew Danzo had different beliefs regarding the way Konoha should be led, but this? Had he really been so blind? It was like he didn’t even know his own friend anymore. It also made him wonder if anyone else was involved in this. He’d have to carefully investigate this. Suddenly there were a lot less people he could trust. It was important to rule everyone out before trusting them. After all, you could never be too safe in this case, especially if it concerned the abilities that both Hermione and Sirius possessed. It was something out of this world, to them, and something that could definitely be used against them if it were to fall into the wrong hands.   
  
His gaze shifted from the view of the village towards the Hokage Rock. And not for the first time he wondered if he should’ve elected someone else to take over his seat. He was getting too old for this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and please leave a comment! I'd love to hear what you think!
> 
> Any and all suggestions are welcome as well, of course. 
> 
> Until next time <33


	42. Help me forget

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovelies, it's time for a new chapter! 
> 
> A bit of a **warning** for this one: There's gonna be some **smut**. Not a whole lot, but it's definitely there. If that's not your cup of tea.. well, then I wonder why you're still reading this after the other scenes where it got a bit heated between Kakashi and Hermione :')
> 
> Big thanks to my lovely friend for letting me bounce ideas off of her and helping me check the chapter!
> 
> Without further ado: I hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 42: Help me forget  
  
  
** They took the long way home, quietly walking down the streets. Neither spoke. He wasn't sure what to say and Hermione seemed to just be staring at the ground as they walked. While the meeting hadn't taken that long, it was pretty late in the day so there weren't a lot of people outside. This was a good thing, because he didn't think he'd be able to handle dealing with anyone. Kakashi stuck to Hermione's side. They didn't touch but he was hyper aware of her every move, even more than before. After having seen what had happened to her, he didn't want anyone else near her.   
  
It was odd seeing her like this. She looked so numb but at the same time he could feel the emotions raging under the surface. He tried his best to stay calm, hoping some of that transferred to her. The last thing she'd need was his anger and rage on top of that. The house was empty when they arrived, which was to be expected. Sirius was going to visit Teddy at the Yamanaka's residence while they went to the meeting. After taking off their shoes, Kakashi lowered his mask and guided Hermione to the living room, intending for her to have a seat. Instead she turned to him, finally making eye contact. _"Actually, I'd like to lie down, if that's okay. I'm a bit tired after…"_ She shook her head weakly and shrugged. He didn't blame her, really.   
  
_"Sure, come on."_ He gently grabbed her arm and pulled her along. He thought about guiding her to her old room, which was now Sirius' room. But he wasn't sure if that was a good idea. He wasn't sure when he'd be back. Instead he passed the room and made his way to his own room. He paused as they reached it, wondering if this was a good idea. The last time they were here, things got quite heated and that was the last thing on his mind at the moment. Right now, he just wanted her to feel safe. To be safe.   
  
Kakashi stepped to the side, allowing her to step into the room first. She placed her bag and wand onto the nightstand and sat down on the bed. _"I'll be in the living room, if you need anything."_ He said. He didn't want to leave her alone but also knew that she would need time and space. Their newly formed trust bond was just that. New. New and vulnerable and he didn't want to screw up any progress they'd made so far.   
  
Just as he turned, he heard her whisper _"Wait."  
  
_ _"Hm?"  
  
_ _"Will you- can you stay? With me?"_ She asked hesitantly. _"I don't really want to be alone right now."  
  
_ Kakashi didn't speak as he turned back and walked into the room. He moved to the other side of the bed and placed himself on top of the covers, making himself comfortable, putting his arms behind his head and he laid on his back. From the corner of his eye he watched as she stood up, pulled back the covers and climbed into his bed. She didn't look at him, staring at the ceiling instead. It felt a bit awkward, him on one side of the bed and her on the other side.   
  
_"Kakashi?"  
  
_ He hummed in response, showing her he was listening.   
  
_"Could you- Will you hold me?"_ Hermione asked in a near whisper.   
  
Her question made him turn his head fully towards her. She still had her face turned towards the ceiling, but he could see that her eyes were closed and watched as a tear escaped from the corner of her eye. It'd been a while since he had seen her like this; it was a whole different kind of vulnerable. Which was why he didn't hesitate as he moved towards her gathering her in his arms. As soon as his arm moved towards her head, she turned her head and burrowed her face in against his neck. Her hand came up and grabbed his shirt. A second later, he could feel her sobbing. Still not knowing what to do, he just held her, pulling her even closer to him.   
  
She said something, but it was so soft and muffled by having her face against his neck that he couldn't understand what she was saying. _"Hm?"  
  
_ _"I'm sorry."_ She repeated.  
  
 _"I told you to stop doing that, Hermione. You have nothing to be sorry for."_   
  
_"But I-"  
  
_ _"Hermione."_ He said firmly. _"Stop."_ With his free hand, he grabbed her chin and moved her face so that she could look at him. This he could deal with. It wasn't the first time he'd had to talk to someone that had been tortured and had thought it had been their own fault. _"You are_ not _to blame for what happened."_ He said, hoping to make her believe those words if he said them enough times. _"Also, I know this might not be the right time. And you don't have to talk about it, but-"  
  
_ _"About what?"  
  
_ _"What did he do to you?"_ At her questioning look, he added. _"Mentally, I mean."  
  
_ _"Oh.. It was nothing."  
  
_ He knew that she knew that he was very much aware that it wasn't nothing. Clearly she wasn't willing to share the information yet, which frustrated him. It was bothering her and he knew he couldn't do much to protect her from her own mind. _"I told you it's fine if you don't want to talk about it."_ He said instead of fighting her on it. _"I'll listen when you're ready to talk."  
  
_ Hermione nodded and turned her head down again, placing her face near his neck again. With his hand he pressed her head even closer to him, bending his face towards her ear. _"Sleep, Hermione,"_ he whispered. She let out a sigh and slowly relaxed in his arms. He rested his cheek on the top of her head. It wasn't long before her breathing slowed and she fell asleep. He slowly removed his hand that rested on her head and bit his thumb, quickly signing the needed signals for the Summoning jutsu. A second later there was a puff of smoke and he flinched slightly at the sound, fearing he'd woken Hermione up, but she didn't even stir.   
  
"Boss?"   
  
Kakashi shifted his gaze from Hermione to Pakkun. The pug looked at him as he stood on the bed with a raised brow. "Pakkun." He said softly in greeting.   
  
The pug looked at the girl in his arms, before cocking his head looking back at him. "So.."   
  
"I need you to keep watch." Kakashi said, stopping the pug from finishing whatever it was he had wanted to say. He had a feeling the ninken would want to drill him, as he'd been wanting to do the last couple of times he was summoned.   
  
"Why?"   
  
Kakashi sighed. He knew he should've just summoned Bull or something. "Just do it, Pakkun."  
  
"Hmph, you're not even going to explain? You know I know that she's the one I've been smelling on you. Clearly there's more to it than meets the eye." The pug gruffly spoke, sitting down next to him, making it clear to Kakashi that he wasn't going to leave. "So, when were you going to tell us?"   
  
"Tell you what?"   
  
"That you've found a mate." The way Pakkun said that made Kakashi think he had suspected this for a while.   
  
He tried to sit up, this was a conversation that he'd rather have in another room. The hand Hermione had twisted in his shirt clenched and he knew he wouldn't be able to leave without waking her up. He sighed and relaxed on the bed. "It's not like that, Pakkun."  
  
"Then what is it like?"   
  
Kakashi closed his eyes, holding back another sigh. "It's complicated."  
  
"Of course it is. You humans always make things more complicated than it actually is." The pug actually managed to look exasperated. "Do you care for her?"   
  
"Yes." The answer had left Kakashi's lips before he even processed the question being asked.   
  
"Does she know you do?"   
  
He hesitated. "...I'm not sure. I think so." He liked to think she knew, actions said more than words, right?  
  
"Why not?"   
  
"I already told you, Pakkun. It's complicated. I don't know. We haven't exactly talked about this."   
  
Pakkun hummed in response, eyeing Kakashi. Looking at Hermione once more he asked, "does she often lie in bed with someone like this?"   
  
"No." He knew this much. He'd smell it if she had.   
  
The pug sighed. "You're an idiot, Kakashi"   
  
"Yeah… I know."  
  
"Tell her. She might just feel the same way." He said with a nod. "I'll be outside." With that, the ninken jumped off the bed and left the room, leaving Kakashi to his thoughts.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hermione had quietly followed Kakashi through the streets of Konoha as they walked to his house. She hadn't expected to feel the way she did. She had greatly underestimated the impact of reliving her memories like that, especially regarding the torture. Glad that Kakashi stayed quiet, she had worked through her thoughts. She had been alright throughout the different events in her memories. Obviously she had felt herself flinch as the masked men caught her in the woods and seeing Dolohov cast the Cruciatus curse on her had caused the same reaction. But the worst part was when she watched Dolohov speaking to her. When she saw his face as he focused on her, entering her mind. _That_ had been so much worse, seeing the same images rush through her mind.   
  
She had barely realised they had already entered Kakashi's home, she was so out of it. He had steered her towards the couch, but she felt so tired she asked if she could lie down instead. Kakashi, luckily, had been quick to comply and had moved them towards the bedrooms instead. Hermione had briefly wondered why he ended up guiding her to his room but knew Sirius had been staying in her old room. While she appreciated Kakashi's decision to leave her be, she really didn't want to be alone. Not after all that. She just wanted to be held like her parents used to do when she was upset.   
  
When Kakashi asked about the torture Dolohov inflicted on her mind, she reacted just like she would when Harry or Ron asked her during their time on the run. That it was nothing. That she was fine. People expected her to be strong. How would she be able to help others, when she couldn't even help herself? While Harry and Ron simply took her word for it, Kakashi surely didn't. He did drop the subject, with a reminder that if she were ready to talk, he'd listen. She couldn't have asked for a better answer. She fell asleep shortly after.   
  
As she woke up, she was happy she felt a bit better. More rested. Hermione didn't move, instead enjoying the feeling of being held. Listening to Kakashi's breathing, she figured he'd fallen asleep as well. While sleeping, their legs had intertwined and his arm was draped over her side, the other folded under his head, acting as a pillow for her as well. Apparently, Kakashi was a _very_ light sleeper because as soon as she shifted, he stirred too. Of course, that act was mostly for her, she surmised. Hermione knew better than to assume him always waking up like this, especially being a shinobi.   
  
"Hi," she said softly into his neck.   
  
"Hi," he repeated, voice cracking and heavy with sleep. "Sleep well?"   
  
"Mhm, I was very comfortable." Merlin, _why_ did she say that? She groaned softly as she hid her face against his neck again.   
  
Kakashi chuckled softly. "Is that so?"   
  
"Oh, shut up," she said, more to herself than to him, groaning again as she shifted to a more comfortable position.   
  
Kakashi froze and groaned in response, grabbing her waist to stop her from moving. Only then she realised exactly where her leg was and what she was touching. _Oh.  
  
_ "Stay still." He ordered softly and she had no trouble following it. Although she couldn't help how his low voice just did something to her.   
  
"As much as I don't want to make you uncomfortable," Hermione started. "I think my arm is falling asleep, so I kind of need to move."   
  
"You're wrong. It's quite the opposite," Kakashi said, still not allowing her to move. "I just don't think now is a good time." He added softly.   
  
"Oh? And why is that?" She asked as her free hand released his shirt that it was still gripping and moved towards the hem of his shirt. She knew why, of course. But something inside of her wanted this. Something inside of her _needed_ this feeling that was slowly spreading inside of her.   
  
"Hermione-" He grunted as he grabbed her hand, stopping her from going lower. "Don't get me wrong, I want to, but- We shouldn't. It's too soon." He almost pleaded.  
  
She moved her head up, looking at his face. His eyes were closed. Sometime during their stay in his bed, he'd removed his headband, showing the side of his face he always kept covered. His eyebrows furrowed as he tried to keep her still. "Kakashi, please look at me." She coaxed as she moved to lean on her almost-sleeping elbow to make her face level to his. Slowly opening his right eye, she noticed from being this close that his pupil was dilated. "I'm not asking you to- I mean, you're right. I'm not ready for.. _That_." She said quickly. "I'm just saying that I don't mind this. I like this. I like your touch." Hermione whispered as she could feel a blush spread on her cheeks. "And want to forget, even if it's for a little while." As she said that, she tugged on the hand holding her wrist. It didn't take her a lot of effort to tug her wrist free.   
  
Hermione cupped the side of his face, slowly moving her hand to the back of his neck and softly tugged his hair. All the while, he didn't stop her. Intrigued, she watched as his pupil dilated even more, his breath quickening as he released a groan. She'd never get enough of his response to that. He shook his head softly and looked at her, with both eyes this time. "Tell me to stop, and I will." He said.   
  
"Of course." She agreed quickly and he was on her the next second, turning her on her back as he kissed her. Moaning, she tried to grasp the hem of his shirt, wanting to feel him. He wouldn't let her, though, taking both hands and holding them above her head with one hand. Kakashi chuckled as she tried to pull free, burrowing his face in her neck this time.   
  
"Nuh-uh," he said teasingly next to her ear. "You said you liked my touch. Besides, you brought this upon yourself. So you're going to behave, and I'll make you forget." Merlin, he couldn't just say things like that. He attacked her neck after that, kissing and softly biting her pulse point, making her moan.   
  
"Wait," she breathed, making him pause and sit up immediately, one hand still on her wrists. "Not like that," she assured him as she softly tugged one of her wrists free, reaching towards the nightstand, feeling for her wand. As soon as she felt it, she picked it up. Whispering a quick " _Silencio_ ", she placed it back on the nightstand, obediently placing her wrist back with the other one. "I'm good now."  
  
"What did you do?" She knew he knew what she did. And she was very sure he knew she knew that too.   
  
"I made sure a certain someone won't be able to hear anything this time around. Just in case." She replied with a small smirk.   
  
"Handy." He returned her smirk. "You'll let me know if there's something you don't like?" He asked, smirk gone and his body still until she nodded at him. He then lowered himself to her neck again, picking up exactly where he left off. It was ridiculous how easy he found all the spots to make her moan out loud. It wasn't long until she was putty in his hands.   
  
Kakashi moved his free hand towards the hem of her shirt that rode up due to her previous movements. Looking her in the eye as he slowly traced the visible skin, his fingers played with the hem a little before moving under her shirt, tracing her stomach. She shuddered at his featherlight touches, making him smirk again. "Ticklish?"   
  
"Shut up," she gasped.   
  
"I'll take that as a 'yes'." He said as he continued his touches, moving up a little. There wasn't a lot of room for him to move, she'd put on a shirt that was tighter than she'd usually wear.   
  
"Please," she begged as she tugged on his hold again.   
  
"Hm? Please what?" _  
  
_ "More." She wanted more and was very much aware of what would need to happen to get more. While she was a bit nervous to go that far, she knew it wouldn't mean that would jump straight to having actual sex. After all, she'd still be covered, mostly.   
  
"Hermione-"   
  
" _Please_ , Kakashi."  
  
"You're sure?"   
  
"Damn it, Kakashi. Yes. Now take off my bloody shirt before I hex you." Hermione groaned. She appreciated him asking for her consent in this, she really did. She knew there weren't a lot of men out there that would. But Merlin, if he didn't continue after he'd got her this hot and bothered, she'd make him regret stopping.  
  
The weight on her wrists was gone the next second, Kakashi sitting up as he straddled her legs and pulled her up by her shirt, pulling the shirt itself over her head in the process and throwing it in some random direction. Before she knew it, he'd removed his own shirt as well, mask included, the items joining her shirt. At her questioning gaze, he shrugged. "It's only fair, don't you think?"   
  
Hermione snorted. "It's hardly fair with a body like _that,_ Kakashi." She said, rolling her eyes. "Have you _seen_ yourself?"   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Sirius looked up at the arrival of Inoichi. He'd been spending some time with his little cousin, amazed at how fast he was growing and determined to spend as much time with the kid as he could. So when Hermione asked him to watch Teddy because she had a meeting to go to, he immediately said yes. _"Yamanaka-san."_ He greeted with a nod.   
  
_"Black-san. The Hokage requested to speak to you."_ The blonde man said, getting straight to the point.   
  
_"I suppose he didn't mention what about?"_ Sirius said as he stood up, lifting Teddy up in his arms. Just because he was asked to go to the Hokage, didn't mean he wasn't allowed to bring the boy.   
  
_"He did, actually, but I think it's best if he explains it. Want me to keep an eye on Teddy?"  
  
_ _"Nah, I got it._ The two of us finally started bonding a bit, didn't we, little brat?" He said switching to English.   
  
"Yes, Padda!" He chuckled as he remembered Hermione telling him she tried to teach him his nickname but that he stuck with 'Padda' instead. Apparently he thought it was too much of an effort to learn a full name. Which reminded him of his cousin Dora and her hating people calling her by her full name. He couldn't blame her, 'Nymphadora' was such a mouthful.   
  
_"Besides, Hermione said it was okay if he spent the night with me. Give her a bit of space. She's been swamped with a lot of things lately."_ Sirius explained.   
  
_"Very well. I'll see you tomorrow then."  
  
_ _"You got it. Bye!"_ He didn't bother stepping outside before Apparating away, appearing just outside the Hokage's office a moment later. He knocked on the door and entered as soon as he was called in.   
  
"Ah, Black-san. Thank you for coming." The man greeted. "It's been awhile since we last spoke."  
  
The wizard nodded as he sat down in one of the chairs. "Inoichi said you wanted to talk to me? What about?"   
  
"Hermione-san."  
  
"'Mione? Didn't she just have a meeting with you?"   
  
"She did and I wanted to talk to you about some of the things we've.. discussed."  
  
Sirius frowned at that. Why wouldn't he just discuss it with her? Surely she'd proven to them that she was willing to explain things. He voiced his thoughts to the village leader.   
  
"I'm afraid she wasn't able to. I- she showed her memories to us."  
  
Of course. He'd suggested that to her, so use the pensieve to show them her memories. He hadn't expected her to be so upset about it, however. Even after these past few weeks where they had spent a lot of time together, she held off on speaking about the time where she had lost Remus' wand. Sirius remembered she had mentioned attackers but she hadn't said more about it.   
  
"Right. Well, I have to be honest, I'm not aware of the memories she showed you. They're hers, after all. But I'll try to answer what I can." He wouldn't throw her under the bus, of course. Sirius would protect Hermione at all cost. But he _would_ explain what he could.   
  
The Hokage briefly explained the events to him. He pushed down the anger as he heard what exactly had happened to Hermione. He knew she'd be trying to brush it off, pretend it wasn't that bad, but this was bad. _Very_ bad. She had been kidnapped. And tortured. _Again._ For fuck's sake. Damn it, Hermione, he thought. She should've told him.   
  
He was definitely going to buy the brat a drink for killing Dolohov. So many questions flew through his mind. How did Dolohov escape? And what did this mean for the other Death Eaters? He saved the questions for when the Hokage was done asking him questions about different spells and more about what they as wizards could do. Honestly, now wasn’t the time to talk about that, he knew that. He answered as much as he could, being honest when he said he wasn't sure because he would have to see it for himself to be able to discern the actual spell used. In the meantime, he felt Teddy trace some of his visible tattoos with his finger, playing with the neckline of his shirt as he held the boy in his lap. If he'd known this was the kind of conversation he would be having, he'd probably left the boy at home. Sirius wasn't sure how much he understood and if he even remembered anything from that time. It was probably better that he was still so young.   
  
After the questions, he stayed and chatted with the man a bit more. He skillfully avoided any questions regarding Tsunade and asked his own questions in return. One of the questions that had been on the forefront of his mind was what the possibilities were for him to open a bar within Konoha as well. If he was being honest, he missed being busy like that. And it would be especially good for his other friend, Jiraiya. That man was the one that had suggested it to him after all, when they were staying at Tanzaku Gai. One time he had said he was gathering intel and it would be nice to have a place like that to gather it in an inconspicuous way.   
  
Sirius was pleasantly surprised when he received approval for that. "Thank you, Hokage-sama. It will be of great help. Plus, I'd be able to make some money of my own."  
  
"Oh, I'm sure." He said with a knowing smile. "And meet certain people, no doubt."  
  
"Well, obviously," Sirius responded with a smirk. "That's the whole purpose of having a bar, no?"   
  
"Very well, that's all for now. I'll have someone contact you to discuss a location."  
  
"Brilliant! I'll brew some Fire Whiskey for you as thanks. You'll love it, I'm sure!" Sirius said as he stood up. With a nod he left the office. Time to head home and check on Hermione. He understood that she went home with Kakashi. Might as well kill two birds with one stone. He just hoped they were at least somewhat presentable the moment he'd pop in. Smirking to himself, he figured they probably wouldn't.   
  
"Well, Teddy, let's go take a walk, hm? Mommy Mai is probably very busy at the moment and we wouldn't want to disturb them again. This time."   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
He didn't agree with her comment. Actually, he strongly disagreed. His body wasn't anything special and he didn't understand why someone would think it was. Almost every shinobi he knew had a body like his. The muscles _and_ the scars. No, his body wasn't anything special at all. Hers, however, he actually preferred hers over any of the kunoichi he knows. He didn't even think a trained body like that would suit her. Kakashi couldn't imagine it would. She was fine the way she was. And sure, she had scars too, but that just made her more beautiful to him.   
  
Wait. _Beautiful?_ He paused as he thought about it but yes, beautiful was the best way to describe what he saw. _"What?"_ Hermione asked as he looked at her. She slowly moved to wrap her arms around her, no doubt feeling self conscious. He stopped her before she could.   
  
_"Don't. Don't hide yourself."_ He could see the doubt in her eyes, so he shook his head. _"You don't have to hide, you're beautiful, Hermione."  
  
_ _"Sure,"_ she said, with a raised eyebrow.   
  
_"Don't believe me?"_ Now, that sounded like a challenge, didn't it? It did to him, anyways. And he wasn't one to back out of a challenge like this. _"I'll prove it to you."_ Kakashi said and smirked as he moved off of her, grabbed her waist and flipped them over, making her squeak. She was now straddling him and Kami, he liked this position so much better. Now his hands were free to touch anything he wanted. And he did. Sitting up, he went for her neck again, as one of his hands tangled itself in her soft, curly hair and the other moved to her bum.   
  
He hadn't lied when he had told her that he loved the sounds she made. As he made her move on his lap, he groaned while she moaned at the same time and it only served to make him harder. _"Kakashi_ , _"_ she gasped as she moved her hips again.   
  
_"Feel that?"_ He asked, breathlessly, moving towards her ear again. _"It's_ you _who does this to me. You're the only one I'm thinking about."_ He whispered. _"If I wasn't attracted to you, Hermione. I'd definitely not be doing this. Trust me."  
  
_ _"I do,"_ she moaned. _"I trust you, please."  
  
_ He wasn't sure what she was pleading for and he wasn't sure she knew either. But he'd give it to her. Kakashi moved to her lips again, capturing them. As they kissed, he felt the nails of one of her hands softly scratching his shoulder and back while still grinding on his lap. The other made its way back to his neck. It still baffled him how on earth she knew what he liked, not that he was complaining. It just fueled him on.   
  
After softly squeezing her bum, his hand moved to her back, stroking every inch of skin he could touch. As soon as he felt the piece of clothing protecting her breasts, he couldn't help but feel annoyed. He got it now, whenever he heard a man moan about females wearing it. All he wanted was to feel her skin and this little garment was preventing him from doing so. Kakashi wouldn't make her take it off, though. It was the last piece of clothing to protect her from him seeing everything, which he was fine with and-  
  
Kakashi's brain short-circuited when she easily reached behind her back and undid the clasp of her bra, throwing the item on the ground. He moved to look at her and she shyly met his gaze. _"It's only fair, don't you think?"_ She said, repeating his earlier comment. Opening his mouth to ask if she was certain, her hand came up, covering his lips. _"And yes, I'm sure. Now,"_ she said. _"Please kiss me."  
  
_ Growling, he pulled her towards him, capturing her lips again as soon as she removed her hand. Kakashi's hands roamed her back and every so often he'd let his thumbs slide against the underside of her breasts. Little by little, he dared to touch more of them and before long he softly cupped them, making her make all sorts of new sounds as he tweaked her nipples between his thumbs and index fingers. Every time he moved her nipples between his fingers, she responded by grinding down on him and he couldn't help but reciprocate the movement. He was getting so hard that if it were up to him, he'd throw her on the bed and rip her pants off and take her right then and there. Moving his hands back to her back, he groaned at the feeling of her hard nipples against his chest. He'd never thought something like that could feel so good.   
  
Hermione moved her hands to his chest and traced his skin, much like he had done with her. She kept her breasts against his chest as much as possible, slowly moving up and down and moaning at the feeling. He wasn't sure what had gotten into her as she went lower and lower, quickly grabbing her wrists as she reached the edge of his pants. Moving back, he looked her in the eye as both of them breathed hard. His hold wasn't tight, he knew. If she wanted to break free, she easily could. Both of them knew that but while she wanted to forget the events earlier that day, he didn't want her to cross any lines she wasn't willing to cross. He didn't want her to regret a decision made in the heat of the moment.   
  
_"I can feel you,"_ she breathed. _"I can feel you under me and-"  
  
_ _"And?"  
  
_ He felt her pull her hands from his grip. Looking down, he followed their movements. He expected her to go for his pants, but surprised she went for her own. He looked up to her leaning towards him. _"And it makes me feel things I haven't felt before."_ She whispered against his lips.   
  
Kakashi moaned in response. _"You can't say things like that, Hermione."_ He stopped her hands from continuing undoing her buttons. _"And you don't need to do that."  
  
_ _"But-"  
  
_ His arms circled her waist, bucking up slightly, earning another moan from Hermione, before switching positions once again, throwing her on her back. _"I want you,_ _Hermione. Don't think for a second that I don't."_ He told her. _"But now is not the time for that."_ If only she knew what he actually wanted to do to her right now as she writhed under him. But what he wanted didn't matter at the moment. What mattered was that she continued to trust him.  
  
Bending down he kissed her, slowly, taking his time. This was more sensual than the hungry kisses they shared before. He leaned on one of his arms, hovering above her while he used the other to caress her body again. Kakashi loved the fact that she shuddered and moaned at his touch, he only now realised that every touch was amplified by their bond as well. Moving his body in between her open legs, he rocked his hips against hers. His clothed erection strained in his pants and he wanted nothing more than to seek his release but he'd have to endure for now.   
  
A soft humming reached his ears, making him pause and sit up. He looked around the room, wondering what it could be. _"Kakashi? What's wrong?"  
  
_ _"Something's humming."_   
  
_"Humming? What- Oh!"_ Hermione sat up as well. _"Shitshitshit. Where did I put my bra? Fuck!"_ She scrambled off the bed, looking for said item, as Kakashi looked at her in confusion. Why was she responding like this to something that hummed. She rushed to get dressed and almost ran to her bag, taking out the wrapped mirror she'd shown him before. The humming became louder and louder as she unwrapped it.   
  
_"Hello?"_ She said, sounding out of breath as she sat back down in the bed.   
  
_"Hermione? Merlin's beard, Hermione! It_ is _you!"  
  
_ Kakashi followed the exchange as he slowly picked up his shirt and mask as well, putting both items back on. Suddenly all anxiety radiating from her disappeared as a bright smile formed on her lips just as he covered his own lips with his mask. He’d never seen her like this. She looked genuinely happy. While relief flooded his senses, he couldn't help but feel a little annoyed at the interruption. Then again, maybe a little relief came from him as well. He wasn't sure how much longer he could've held himself back. A blessing in disguise, he supposed.  
  
 _"Harry, Ginny!"_ She exclaimed. _"You have no idea how much I missed hearing your voices!"  
  
_ Kakashi pointed to the bathroom, signing to Hermione that he'd be right back. She gave him a short, barely noticeable nod as she focused on the two people on the other end of the mirror. In the meantime he thought about all the possible things to make him get rid of his hard on, it was getting quite uncomfortable. A few minutes later, his hard on finally gone, he stepped back into his bedroom and what he heard made him stop in his tracks.   
  
_"So, when are you coming home?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you guys think! I love reading your thoughts and they definitely help me write the chapters faster :D
> 
> Until next time! :D


	43. Anything

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> Nothing much to say this time around. I'm not entirely sure about this chapter, but I did want to upload it so you guys have something to read :') 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 43:** **Anything**  
  
  
She couldn’t believe she almost forgot the meeting she had planned with Aberforth. Hermione supposed it was because she was a bit… distracted. Which wasn’t _that_ hard. Kakashi looked breathtaking to her, there were no other words to describe it. She couldn’t understand that he somehow found _her_ attractive. His, well, bodily functions did the talking for him, however. Hermione didn’t know a lot about how the male genitalia worked, but what she did know was that was usually something they couldn’t control. It was kind of how she couldn’t control the arousal she felt when she was sitting on his lap.  
  
Trying to control her breathing and hoping her face wasn’t as flushed as it felt, she picked up the mirror and called out a shaky “Hello?”  
  
"Hermione? Merlin's beard, Hermione! It _is_ you!" Her eyes widened in surprise as it was Harry who greeted her. Next to him was Ginny, who’s expression mirrored Harry’s.  
  
"Harry, Ginny!" She exclaimed. "You have no idea how much I missed hearing your voices!" Finally. She could finally speak with her friends. They were rapidly firing question after question, of which none registered in her mind as she felt the biggest smile she’d had in a long time appear on her lips. Her eye caught movement as Kakashi got dressed and pointed at himself and then to the door. With a small nod in acknowledgement from her, he disappeared from the room, letting her focus on the mirror.  
  
“Slow down, you guys. I can hardly follow what you are saying.”  
  
“Sorry, ‘Mione, I can’t help it. We’ve been worried sick!”   
  
She felt bad when he said that. Of course they’d been worried sick about her. She disappeared without a trace, no doubt. “I’m sorry, I-”  
  
“Don’t you dare, Hermione!” Ginny scolded. “We’ve seen the cottage, we feared the worst if I’m being honest. But we know you didn’t choose this, so don’t apologise!” Ginny, always the voice of reason when there’s chaos. “Really, we’re just happy you’re alright.”  
  
“I know, Gin. I know.”  
  
“You _are_ alright, right? I mean you seem alright but you look a bit flushed.” At that comment, Hermione felt herself flush again.   
  
“Y-yeah, of course. I’m fine. Absolutely fine.” She stammered.  
  
Harry looked between his girlfriend and Hermione and looked positively confused, which Hermione was grateful for. Ginny simply cocked an eyebrow, staring at her before, thankfully, dropping the subject. “Well, anyways. _Where_ are you?” Ginny asked. "We looked and looked but we couldn't find you."  
  
“That’s a bit harder to explain,” Hermione said. “And I _will_ explain. But for now just know that I’m safe.”  
  
“If you’re sure..”  
  
Harry seemingly had enough of being on the sideline of this conversation, grabbing the mirror from Ginny which caused her to call out a “Hey!” and now showing just his face. “So,” He started. “When are you coming home?”  
  
The question caught her off guard, yet she should’ve expected it. It was Harry after all. Movement from the other side of the room caught her attention, as well as a short burst of shock. Looking up, she saw Kakashi looking at her with an unreadable expression. Neither moved and she only vaguely heard Harry call her name from the mirror. Then, Kakashi bowed his head and took a step back.  
  
 _“Kakashi, wait_!” She called out, but he didn’t listen. “Damn it,” she cursed, “I’ll be right back.” She quickly told the pair as she threw it on the bed and rushed out of the room to go after Kakashi.   
  
Who, as it turned out, hadn’t been planning on running this time around, as she ran into him around the corner, causing her to squeak as she fell on her behind. “Ow!”  
  
 _“What are you doing?”_ Kakashi asked with a raised eyebrow, as she scrambled to her feet again.  
  
 _“What do you mean, what am I doing? Chasing after_ you _of course!”_ She told him angrily. _“Why did you walk away?”_ _  
_ _  
_Kakashi shrugged, _“I figured I’d give you some space to talk to your friends.”_ He’d pocketed his hands and relaxed his pose. She didn’t like it. He always did this, acting indifferent while in fact he wasn’t.  
  
 _“Don’t do this, Kakashi. Don’t lie to me. I know you heard what Harry asked.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“So?”_ Another shrug. _  
_ _  
_ _“So? Remember the last time this subject was breached?”_ She reminded him. _“Because I do. And it wasn’t pretty and I’d rather not go through that again.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“I can’t help it.”_ He admitted softly. _“Every time I think it’s going well, something like this happens and- Fuck, Hermione. I already lost so much. I can’t lose you too.”_ _  
_ _  
_Her heart broke at that. _“I know.”_ She said as she stepped closer to him, cupping his cheek. _“I know. You’re not going to lose me, Kakashi. Actually, you can’t.”_ She continued with a lighter tone. _“You’re kind of stuck with me, y’know? Bond and all that.”_ Kakashi snorted at that and rolled his eyes but let her move closer to him without any objection. _“Alright?”_ _  
_ _  
_Kakashi looked at her a moment longer and nodded. _“Alright. Now, you should probably go back to that mirror of yours. Your friends are waiting.”_ _  
  
_ _“You’re going to be okay?”_ _  
_ _  
_Kakashi snorted at that. _“Of course. Now go. I’ll be in the next room.”_  
  
Walking back to the bedroom, she picked up the mirror she had discarded on the bed. “You guys still here?”  
  
“Of course! Bloody hell, Hermione. You can’t just do that!” Ginny told her exasperated. “We’re already worried about you being away, this strange behaviour of yours isn’t helping one bit.”  
  
“Sorry,” she said sheepishly. “But honestly, I’m alright and safe. Merlin, I have so much to tell you guys, I don’t even know where to start. While I was expecting a call, I didn’t think it’d be you so I’m kind of overwhelmed and I will need some time to get my thoughts in order.” Hermione explained.   
  
“Can you tell us what happened at the cottage, at least?” Harry asked, switching to his Auror mode.  
  
“I-” Hermione bit her lip wondering how much she could say. This was becoming a lot more complicated than she had initially expected. She knew that if she told Harry about the Death Eaters, they would want to know what happened to them. Could she tell them about the shinobi? Would the Hokage allow that? Should she just lie to Harry? No, she couldn’t do that, could she? Shit. What should she do?  
  
Oh no. And Remus. She’d had to tell them about it too. And Sirius, eventually. This was quickly turning into a huge shitshow. She should’ve thought this through better. How could she be so stupid?  
  
“‘Mione?” Harry asked. “What happened at the cottage?”  
  
“Harry, I- I can’t.” Hermione stammered. “I’m sorry. I know you’re worried. But I-” Suddenly the mirror was taken from her hands, her eyes shooting up in shock at Kakashi who held the object in his hands.  
  
“Call’s over. Try again later.” He said before tossing the mirror on the bed. _“Come on, let’s go.”_ He told Hermione, who couldn’t help but to gape at him as he pulled her up and took her out of the room. _What_ had just happened?  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
“Hermione! HERMIONE!” Harry yelled into the mirror. “Hermione!”  
  
“Harry, stop. The line’s closed. She’s gone for now.” Ginny tried to calm him.   
  
“Who was that? What the hell happened?” He turned to Ginny firing the questions at her but he knew she didn’t know either. Turning his head towards Aberforth this time, he opened his mouth to question him but the man held up a hand before he could speak.  
  
“I know you’re confused. And worried.” He started. “From what I’ve gathered she is safe, where she is. She’s taken care of.”  
  
“But-”   
  
“No. She told you, Harry. She was overwhelmed and you kept firing questions at her. There’s a good chance that that young man was keeping an eye out for her.” Aberforth said calmly. It was infuriating how calm the man was. Also…  
  
“ _Young_ man? He had grey hair!”   
  
“He’s just as old as she is, I believe. I only saw him once before during one of my talks with Ms. Granger.” The older man explained. “But for now, Harry. She will call again. Give her some time. This is a lot to work through for her as well, surely you understand that?” Aberforth Dumbledore had a point. Just as his brother he seemed wise beyond his years, even if it was a different wisdom.  
  
“Harry, please just listen to him?” Ginny begged as she took his face in her hands. “I know you’re freaked out about what just happened but think of it like this: She’s alive! She’s breathing and she looked fine from what I could see. And yes, the way that guy disconnected the call like that was worrying, but he did say to try again in a few days so let’s just wait that out and see what she has to say then, okay?”  
  
Harry rather not wait. He’d rather speak with his best friend _now_. But he couldn’t. He knew he couldn’t and that frustrated him even more. He gave his girlfriend a nod before grasping her wrists and pulling her hands away from his face. “I need time, Gin. Sorry. I’ll be back later.”   
  
Before Ginny could respond, he moved towards the front door, grabbed his jacket on his way out and left Grimmauld Place. He had no destination in mind, he just walked. Turning into a dark alley, he quickly looked around and once deeming it safe, he Apparated away. Harry Apparated a couple of times, getting further and further away from his home. The moment a location came to his mind, he Apparated there. Soon, Harry found himself in the Forest of Dean.  
  
The moment he appeared, he felt himself calm down. It had been quite some time since he’d been in the forest, yet it seemed like yesterday when he camped here with Ron and Hermione. It had been Hermione who brought them here, after Grimmauld Place was no longer safe for them. It had been Hermione that helped Ron when he got splinched. Hermione was the one that carried the tent and it had been Hermione who kept them alive the weeks that followed. If it hadn’t been for her, he knew he’d have died a long time ago. He owed her so much and yet now that she was in trouble, he couldn’t do shit.  
  
Harry listened to the birds chirping as he walked through the forest. It wasn’t for the first time that he was reminded of the spoken option to just stay here, in the forest. To forget about the war and Voldemort and everything else. To just… leave. He still sometimes wonders why they didn’t. Why they had to fight a war they were too young to fight for something based on a prophecy that some old man believed in because he was so desperate to chase something that didn’t exist.  
  
With a sigh, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked. It wasn’t long until he reached a creek that was familiar to him. It was different now, especially since it wasn’t covered in snow. But he remembered finding the Sword of Gryffindor here, after seeing the Patronis which turned out to be Snape’s. Harry shook his head. While he knew all this, he never bothered to take a moment to appreciate it all, what everyone had done for him. He owed his life to so many of his friends he wondered if he’d even be alive if he’d try to do everything alone. The answer was ‘no’, of course. A stroke of luck would only get you so far. Hell, even the Malfoys technically saved his life, save for Lucius of course.  
  
Wait. Malfoy. He still needed to speak to Draco about the Death Eater’s involvement of Hermione’s disappearance to wherever she was now. He’d been postponing that particular conversation because he wasn’t sure how to go about it. Well, now’s as good a time as any, he supposed. Turning on his feet, he visualised the Malfoy Manor, knowing Draco didn’t work weekends. This conversation was better held away from prying eyes, he knew. With a pop he left the forest behind, appearing in front of the Manor. He hadn’t been back here since they had been taken hostage and honestly he wasn’t sure he liked the idea of being here. But Hermione came first and if that meant he’d have to face this, he would.  
  
Harry knocked on the door, and waited with bated breath for the door to open. He didn’t even know what to say to Draco. And what if someone else answered the door? He really should’ve thought this through, shouldn’t he? Damn it. It took too long for anyone to answer the door. Maybe they weren’t in. He _did_ drop in unannounced after all. Just as he turned to walk away, he heard someone unlock and open the door.   
  
“Mr. Potter?” Harry turned back to see Narcissa Malfoy at the door, looking confused.  
  
“Ah, Mrs. Malfoy, um, hi.” He said awkwardly.   
  
“Can I help you?” She asked, ever polite. What a sight he must be. Still looking disheveled from earlier that day. If he had thought ahead, he would have at least made sure to look, well, clean.  
  
“Actually, I was wondering if Draco is home. I need to speak with him.”  
  
“Oh?” Narcissa raised an eyebrow at this. “Is he aware of this?”   
  
“Ah, um, no. He isn’t.” Harry said, while rubbing the back of his head.   
  
She waited a moment, no doubt thinking it through. “Very well, Mr. Potter. Come in, please. I’ll go get him for you.” Opening the door for Harry, she showed him in. It looked vastly different from the last time he’d been here. He followed her to what seemed to be a sitting room and she pointed to one of the chairs. “Please take a seat. I’ll be right back.”  
  
“Yes. Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy.”  
  
Harry sat down and twirled his fingers nervously. He needed to calm himself. This had to be done for Hermione, any information Draco could give would be welcome really. He just needed to make sure to word everything right, which would be a challenge on its own, because when did he and Draco ever communicate well?  
  
“Potter? What are you doing here?” Harry looked up to see Draco walk into the room, looking confused. “We didn’t have a meeting planned, did we?”  
  
“No, I’m sorry for stopping by unannounced, but I- well, I came for information.” Harry said as he stood up to shake Draco’s hand. Might as well start civil. “Hermione’s in trouble.” He explained.  
  
“Granger is in trouble? And you thought I had something to do with that, did you?” Draco sneered, obviously sounding offended. “You never change, do you Potter?” The blond-haired man said. “You don’t come into my home and accuse me of-”  
  
“Would you at least hear me out, Malfoy? I didn’t come here to accuse you of anything. I-”  
  
"Hang on, Potter. I need Fire Whiskey for this conversation." Draco said with a sigh, waving his wand before plopping down in one of the chairs. A second later a bottle and two glasses drifted towards the pair of them. Draco knocked back a shot before filling his glass again and then nodding, "Okay. Yeah. Let's get this over with."  
  
“Right. So, first of all, I don’t think you have anything to do with this, or, well, I really hope you don’t. No, it’s… Death Eaters took her. And I was- I thought maybe you knew more about it.” Harry looked at Draco and waited for him to say something, anything, as Draco processed what was being said. “Look, I- I know you and I don’t get along. We never have. And I know you and Hermione never got along either, but… She’s my best friend. And they took her and I just- I need to find her. If you know _anything_ , anything at all, will you tell me?” Harry nearly begged. He couldn’t care less what Draco thought of him at this point. Didn’t care if he thought Harry was a wimp or worse. He could barely sleep, knowing Hermione was out there somewhere and speaking with her today didn’t make him feel any better. He wouldn’t rest until she was back home.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
“Come on, love. You’ve been cooped up in here for a few days now. You need fresh air.” Sirius said as he leaned against the door of her bedroom. He was right, she had been staying inside, she thought as she buried her face into her pillow. After the talk with Harry and Ginny she felt awful and she didn’t know what to do. She needed to get her thoughts in order, but for some reason she didn’t manage to do it. There were so many variables she needed to take into account and she couldn’t make sense of it all. Hermione still didn’t know what to do. Still didn’t know what to tell them.  
  
A sigh came from Sirius as he moved to sit on her bed. “Talk to me, ‘Mione. What’s on your mind?”  
  
Turning her head to the side so that she could speak, she inhaled before explaining. “Remember when I told you about the talk I had with Harry and Ginny?”  
  
“Mhm, yeah. It’s about that?”  
  
“They asked me some things and I have no idea how to respond.” Hermione sat up, turning to Sirius. “They want to know where I am. How I got here. What happened at the cottage and- I don’t know what to tell them. I don’t even think I can tell them the truth, can I?”  
  
“Hm, that’s quite a predicament, yes. If you don’t say anything, Harry will never take your word for it. But if you do.. Who knows what the Hokage will do when he finds out.” And that pretty much was what she was worried about. She realised she had already broken half a dozen laws by telling about and showing the shinobi her magic. She knew, however, it was necessary to secure her own safety as well as Teddy’s. And she’ll deal with the consequences when the time comes. But this? If she told Harry something she shouldn’t have, it could very well mean she signed her death sentence. “Maybe,” Sirius continued. “It would be a good idea to speak to the Hokage about this?”  
  
“I thought about it,” Hermione confessed. “But what if he says I can’t speak with them anymore? I can’t do that.”  
  
“I think, Hermione, that the old man may surprise you.” He told her with a smile. “So, now that that’s settled. It’s time for you to come outside with me. I’ve got something to show you.”  
  
Something to show her? “Oh?”   
  
“Yes. So, come on!” He urged.  
  
Hermione sighed but smiled. “Okay, fine. I suppose you’re not going to tell me beforehand?”  
  
“Nope, not a chance.” Sirius smirked at her. “I want your honest opinion and I won’t get that if you have time to think about it.” He stood up, pulling her up and nearly dragged her out of the house with a quick wave to a surprised looking Inoichi.  
  
He never let go of her hand as he continued to pull her along. “Uh, Sirius?” She started. “You know you can let me go, right? I’m not gonna run.” She joked. Sirius ignored her as he kept walking, going left and right when needed. Before long, she found herself on the edge of the civilian’s district, near the market. “Sirius?  
  
  
“Almost there, love.”  
  
A minute or two later they stopped in front of a shabby-looking building. It almost reminded her of the Shrieking Shack. “What’s this?” She asked.  
  
“This,” He turned to her with a big smile. “Is going to be my new pub.”  
  
Her eyes widened in surprise. “But- wha- how?” Hermione stammered.  
  
“The one in Tanzaku Gai ran quite well until I sold it. I managed to save up enough to buy this. You know how I go stir crazy if I just stay inside. I needed something to do. So I made some arrangements with the Hokage. I mean, the building has a lot of issues, sure, but it’s nothing a little magic can’t fix.” He said with a wink.  
  
“This is brilliant!” She threw her arms around his neck in a hug. “I’m so happy for you!”  
  
“Thanks, ‘Mione, really.” Sirius chuckled and patted her on the back.  
  
“Well, if you need any help at all-”  
  
“Which is why I dragged you here. I could definitely use an extra pair of hands to fix this place up, if you’re up for it?”  
  
“Of course! I’d be happy to help!” Hermione looked at the building with a big smile. It looked terrible, sure. But that had its charm too, she knew. They would be able to turn this into something amazing. She was incredibly happy for Sirius. He wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t like to be cooped up inside, just like he had at Grimmauld Place. He truly was free here, wasn’t he? She wondered, then, if he would want to go back to England, if the choice ever presented itself. Hermione herself had doubts, mostly because of Kakashi. But Sirius? All he had back home was Harry and while that sounded harsh, she knew he was happy here. He was thriving in his own way. And would it really be fair to take that away from him?   
  
“Wanna go inside and check it out?” He offered, walking up to the door and opening it to go inside.  
  
“Lead the way, Mr. Owner.” Hermione chuckled as she followed him inside.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Kakashi sighed as he stretched in his sleeping bag. The mission was almost done, thankfully. For the umpteenth time his mind drifted to Hermione. After her conversation with her friends, they barely had time to talk before he got a summon for a mission. He didn’t even know what got into him when he ripped the mirror from her hands. All he knew he felt another surge of panic coming from her and he moved before he had realised he had. It probably wasn’t a smart idea to show his face to those people, but at the moment he couldn’t care less.  
  
Shortly after that he had to leave and he made her promise not to talk to them again, not until they had talked about it. He had to make sure Hermione knew she couldn’t just tell those friends of hers everything, she would have to be selective with the information she shared. He would definitely need to talk to the Hokage about that as well. Releasing another sigh, he sat up and checked on his teammates before getting up.  
  
With a nod towards Tenzou, who kept watch in one of the trees, he walked towards the river situated next to the camp. Crouching down, he pulled down his mask. Cupping his hands in the water he washed his face before taking a couple of sips. He dried his face using his sleeve and got back up to move back to the camp. “Anything to report?” He asked Tenzou as he stopped under him and leaned against the tree.  
  
“No, nothing. Don’t think we’ll run into any trouble on the way back.”  
  
“You’ll never know. Stay sharp.”   
  
“Of course, senpai.”  
  
Kakashi hummed and went to wake up the rest of the team. Tapping each one on the shoulder, he waited until all of them were up. “Alright. Everybody up?” He asked, looking at all of them. Receiving a nod from them, he continued. “We’ve got one more stop to make in order to complete this mission. “Raven, you’re with me. Cat, Rabbit and Crow, you’ll take out the guards. Cat will take point on that.”  
  
“Yes sir.”  
  
“Good, we’ll move out in five minutes.”  
  
He moved to pack up his belongings, rolling up his sleeping back and sealing it in one of the scrolls and placed it in his pouch. The minutes passed quite quickly and soon they were moving at a fairly fast pace towards the last stop of their mission. This was a relatively easy mission for his team. A simple reckon and assassination. They did the reckon and the planning. Now it was time to assassinate the target. Some guy that hired mercenaries to attack and rob small villages. The villagers barely had any money for themselves but apparently still managed to raise a fair amount to hire an Anbu-team. These kinds of missions, he didn’t mind doing at all. It felt justified for once.   
  
Kakashi glanced at the Anbu next to him wearing a mask of a Raven. Uchiha Itachi, clan heir. He was the new addition to his team, while Genma was still on time-out. While his team had had doubts at first, save for Shisui, they quickly learned the kid was extremely talented. Not that Kakashi was one to judge a shinobi by his age, he knew all about the backlash of getting judged on that. Yet, he couldn’t help but think that eleven was still a bit too young for Anbu. He was skilled, sure. And wise far beyond his years. But he needed life experience and he wasn’t sure this was the way to get it.  
  
“Something wrong, captain?” Itachi asked.  
  
“No.” He denied. “We’re almost there. I’ll explain what needs to be done while they take care of the guards. Let’s stop here. Get yourself ready.” Kakashi said as he signalled for the rest of the team to go ahead. “This is your first assassination mission?” He asked.  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Any questions before we go in?”  
  
“No.” Kakashi cocked an unseen eyebrow at that. Very well. At least he asked.  
  
“Very well. Let’s get going. I’d rather go home sooner than later.”   
  
“Yes sir.”  
  
With a nod they continued after the rest of the team. It was surprisingly easy to get to the leader of the group of mercenaries. Kakashi went ahead and used his tanto to slit the man’s throat. This wasn’t an assassination to cover up, for once. This was to send a message to whoever found him that whatever he was doing wasn’t without consequence. Wiping his tanto on the dead man’s shirt, he sheathed his short sword and signalled Itachi that he was done as he watched the boy kill the leader’s right hand man. Itachi gave him a nod and sheathed his sword as well. Ten seconds later, they were on their way again, leaving the bodies behind.  
  
Not long after, they were well underway to get back to the village. It was a bit weird to have the group so quiet. Usually Genma would have made at least a dozen bad timed comments in the time from the assassination until now. It was actually quite calming too, to have everyone be quiet.  
  
“Soooo, you’re in a bit of a rush aren’t you, Boss?” Shisui piped up, nearly making Kakashi groan. “You’ve been wanting to get back home faster and faster lately. Eager to go back to your girlfriend?” He said, stretching the last word.  
  
“...” Kakashi didn’t respond to Shisui, ignoring the bait.   
  
“Come on, Boss! Tell us, how’s it going between you two?”  
  
“I fail to see how this is any of your business, Crow.” Kakashi commented with a sigh. “Focus on the mission.”  
  
Shisui’s response was immediate. “But the mission is done.”   
  
“It’s not done until we’ve reported to the Hokage. So, no. It’s not done.” He felt a headache forming. He almost missed Genma’s nagging now. At least that guy knew when to shut up.  
  
“Pleaaase?”   
  
Oh, for the love of- “No.”  
  
“Come on, Boss!”   
  
Count to ten, Kakashi, he told himself. “No.”   
  
“But-” Shisui started.  
  
“One more word, Crow and you’ll regret it.” Kakashi threatened. He was definitely going to regret it if he said another word.  
  
“Wh-”  
  
“If I may,” Itachi interjected. “Maybe it’s a wise decision to listen to our captain. You of all people should know that captain Hound will follow through with his threats.”  
  
A grunt came in reply from Shisui. Kakashi almost wanted to release a sigh in relief but knew if he did that, Shisui would start again, no doubt. Just an hour or two to go, he thought to himself. Then he could ditch his team, report to the Hokage and go home. And he supposed Shisui did have a point. More often than not he couldn’t wait to get back home. To see Hermione again. They were finally doing well. They hadn’t had a fight in a long time, well, long for them. It felt.. nice. With every passing day, their bond grew stronger. He could feel her the entire time, like she was right there. It was a bit unnerving at first, but also comforting.   
  
She’d been down, no doubt from the contact with her friends. That made sense. But now… He focused on the bond and he felt genuine joy come from her. She was happy? It made him wonder what it was that had made her this happy. It was good, of course. He was glad she was happy, even when he was away. He hoped she enjoyed it while it lasted, because he wasn’t sure what was going to happen in the future, especially with Danzo’s trial that was coming up. But, he’d do what he could for her. At this point he’d probably do anything for her.   
  
Anything to make her stay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments make me happy! <3 Please let me know what you guys think!
> 
> Until next time!


	44. The mind is a fickle thing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> First of all: I was so thrilled to see this story hit over 15.000 views! Thank you so much to all the people reading this story and those leaving kudo's and comments. It really means a lot <3
> 
> Sooo, anyways, it's been a while. Luckily I came with a new chapter!  
> As with the previous chapters, the dialogue formats will be as following:
> 
> "Speaking in the native language of the character's pov."  
>  _"Speaking in another language."_  
>  And a new one:  
>  **"Speaking through Legilimency."**
> 
> I don't have much else to say, other than: I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Again, for those who skipped the AN ;)**

"Speaking in the native language of the character's pov."

_ "Speaking in another language."  _

**"Speaking through Legilimency"  
**  
  
And now, on with the chapter!  
  


**Chapter 44: The mind is a fickle thing  
  
  
** "So, what do you think? Not too bad, eh?"   
  
If by 'not too bad' he meant that the ceiling wasn't collapsing yet and that the place looked like a bomb exploded inside, then sure. It wasn't too bad. "Right. Yeah. Not too bad."  
  
"Well, I mean, it could use a bit of work."  
  
Hermione turned to look at the other wizard. "A  _ bit _ ? In what universe exactly?"   
  
"Now, 'Mione, don't be mean." Sirius responded. "It just needs a little love and attention and it'll be as good as new." He said as he leaned against one of the pillars only to have it groan and collapse, causing him to curse as he fell over. "Damn it!"   
  
Hermione was glad she was nowhere near that pillar and easily stepped to the side, casting a quick  _ Protego _ for any debris coming her way. "I think, Sirius," Hermione started as she looked at the room after the dust settled. "That it might need a little love, attention  _ and  _ magic. Don't you?"   
  
"Yeah," he said with a groan. "I think you might be right." She watched as he stood up, stretching his back.   
  
"Ready?" Hermione asked as she readied her wand.  
  
Sirius mirrored her stance, but he didn't take out his wand, causing Hermione to frown. "I'm always ready for a little magic, love."   
  
Focusing on the task at hand, she murmured a soft " _ Reparo" _ . Sirius did the same and the result was almost instantaneous. Before their eyes, the entire room changed. The pillar that had just collapsed, rose back up. Any and all cracks in the walls were mended in the blink of an eye. Soon one wouldn't have been able to tell how bad this room had originally looked, before they had stepped inside.  
  
"Hey Sirius?" Seeing him use magic like that, it made her remember that she had been meaning to look further into this.  
  
"Hm?" The man looked at her in question, a single eyebrow raised.   
  
"Would it be hard for me to learn wandless magic?" She asked offhandedly as she walked around the newly built room.   
  
"Wandless magic?" Sirius hummed again. "I shouldn't be surprised, you wanting to learn that. It takes practice though, love. Lots of practice."  
  
"Right." Hermione wasn't all that convinced it would be something she could learn. This wasn't something she could learn from reading a book, after all.   
  
"I'd be willing to help you out, if you want." He offered. "I mean, it can't hurt to try to learn it. Especially if you're planning to stay here. You'd need to blend in a little." Sirius moved his gaze from her to look outside. "It's the same reason I worked on learning wandless magic. I'm by no means a pro, not yet. But I also know waving around a stick is bound to raise some questions."   
  
"Yes, I did wonder about that, actually." Hermione said. Because she had. She had little to no idea as to what had happened when Sirius had arrived here. Surely he wouldn't have fit in straight away and she had no doubt in her mind that he knew people that were aware of his abilities.  
  
"I'm sure you did." He smiled at her. "But that's a story for another time." Sirius winked. "Also, seeing as I'll be helping you out, maybe you'd be willing to help me out?"   
  
"I  _ am _ helping you out." Hermione pointed out.   
  
Sirius shrugged. "Eh, this? This is nothing. No. I need you to help me out in the bar. I had help at the previous place, but obviously he's still there. So how about you helping me out here?"   
  
She wasn't sure if she could. She hadn't actually worked. Ever. School definitely didn't count. Then again, she didn't really have anything else to do, did she? She took care of Teddy but she knew Inoichi and his family were happy to help. Then there was the fact that she had started educating herself about Konoha and the language here, but even that wasn't something she was doing full time.  
  
"I can see you thinking, 'Mione. Come on. Say yes."  
  
"Oh, alright." She conceded. "But only until I find something else and only when I'm not needed elsewhere."  
  
The man in front of her flashed her a smirk. "Thank you, love. I appreciate it. Once I start making some money, I'll be sure to compensate you as well. In the meantime, it'll be a service for a service."  
  
"That's only if we find a place to practice, Sirius. If we don't, then I'm not helping out. An eye for an eye." She countered.   
  
"We'd need a room then, I suppose. A sturdy room, but also one that's away from prying eyes. We wouldn't want everyone to know what we're up to, hm?"   
  
"No, I guess not. Maybe I can ask the Hokage." Hermione said. "I would need to talk to him regarding Harry anyway, so might as well kill two birds with one stone."  
  
"Mhm, might not be a bad idea. Although, maybe try Inoichi first? He might have a better idea." She nodded in agreement as Sirius pocketed his hands and she watched as he let his eyes wander, taking in the space that would soon be turned into a bar.  _ His _ bar. "Let's get going. Come on, I'll walk you home." He offered. "Let me know if you're going to meet the Hokage though, I owe the man a drink for giving me this bar."  
  
"We both know he didn't give it to you, Sirius." Hermione said as she rolled her eyes with a smile on her face. Well, he wasn't wrong about it being a beautiful place. Seeing the place now, all in one piece, she knew this would turn into quite the bar.   
  
"Eh, technicalities." He said with a shrug. "It's mine now. That's all that matters."  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
_ "We're back!" _ Hermione called out as she slipped off her shoes. Behind her, Sirius did the same as he followed her into the house.  
  
_ "So you are,"  _ Inoichi's wife commented with a smile.  _ "How was the surprise that Black-san had?"  _ She asked Hermione, obviously knowing what Sirius had been up to when he dragged her from the house.   
  
_ "He bought a bar!"  _ Hermione responded excitedly.  _ "The building's a mess, but we'll fix it right up, won't we, Sirius?"  _ She turned to grin at the man.   
  
_ "That we will. Sooner rather than later." _ He agreed.   
  
_ "That's wonderful! Is this the first time you owned a bar?"  _ The woman asked as she stood up.  _ "Also, would you two like some tea?"   
  
_ _ "Please,"  _ Sirius said and Hermione nodded in agreement.  _ "And no, I owned a bar when I was staying in Tanzaku Gai, so I know my way around a bar. Although, I must say, the clientele will be a bit different here, I reckon."   
  
_ Inoichi's wife hummed,  _ "I suppose it would. There are more shinobi here, after all."  _ She placed a cup of tea in front of both of them.   
  
_ "Exactly."   
  
_ _ "Oh, before I forget, do you know where I can find Inoichi-san? I need to talk to him about something."  _ Hermione asked as she softly blew on her tea before taking a sip. She always managed to make the tea exactly how Hermione wanted it, which she appreciated. It was the little things that made her feel accepted in this family.   
  
_ "He's working at the moment, but we were planning on meeting at the park. I'm going to take Ino-chan there in a little while as we wait for him. Do you guys want to come too? I'm sure Teddy-chan would love to go there as well."  
  
_ That was actually a brilliant idea. She glanced at Sirius with a raised brow in question and he gave her a smile and a nod. Great! Hermione had been thinking ahead, keeping a close eye on the dates. Christmas was nearing and she was fairly certain no one in Konoha had ever heard of it, yet she was determined to celebrate it with at least a couple of people. She was sure Sirius wouldn't mind either. Actually, now that she thought about it, his bar would be the perfect place to celebrate it. But most importantly, she needed gifts for a couple of people. It was the least she could do. She knew what she wanted to arrange for Sirius and now with them all going to the park, it would be the perfect moment for her gift for the Yamanakas.   
  
_ "We'd love to come! I'll get Teddy ready right away!"  _ Quickly finishing her tea, she got up and walked to the playpen he was crawling around in.   
  
"How're you doing, Teddy? You've been a good boy, haven't you?"   
  
"Mama!" Teddy exclaimed as he easily stood up, with the help of the bars. He was getting better and better at this. It wouldn't be long before she'd be chasing him all over. She dreaded that moment already, she thought with a grin.   
  
"That's right! Mama's here." She put her hands under his armpits and lifted him out of the playpen. "Oh dear, you've been busy, haven't you." He smelled like he had been. She'd never get used to the smell. Thank Merlin for magic, she thought with a grimace as she opened his diaper. With a few quick spells, he was clean and changed into a new diaper. A few minutes later she was back downstairs and ready to go.   
  
Sirius and Hermione followed Inoichi's wife with a bit of distance between them. "Hey, I wanted to run something by you," she started softly.   
  
"Hm? What's on your mind, love?"   
  
"Christmas."  
  
"Christmas? Merlin, I haven't thought about Christmas in quite some time." Sirius pocketed his hands and looked up to the sky. "They don't celebrate it here. Not that I know of, at least. And if they did, they've kept it well hidden from me."  
  
"Mhm, I figured as much. But y'know, it  _ is _ something I'd like to celebrate even if it's just a small gathering. And, well, I was thinking of getting the Yamanakas a gift but I would need your help for that."  
  
"Oh? Do tell."  
  
And she did. She explained what she'd been planning and while she wasn't exactly sure what to get them at first, she knew they would like this. It'd be even easier to get them a gift with Sirius' help.  
  
Sirius smiled a warm smile, one she'd rarely seen on him. "That's a very nice gift, 'Mione I'd be happy to help. I'll keep an eye out for you."  
  
"Thank you. You're the best." Hermione beamed at him.   
  
"I know, no need to remind me. Act, on second thought, please do remind me. As much as you want." The wink he gave her just made it worse.   
  
"You're hilarious." She deadpanned, causing Sirius to laugh out loud.   
  
"So, what's my gift?"   
  
"Who says you're getting a gift? Only those in the 'nice'-list will get a gift, you know this."   
  
Sirius put his hands over his heart and whined, "but I tried so hard to be good!"   
  
"No, you haven't." Hermione rolled her eyes at his behavior. It didn't matter. Of course he was getting a gift, but there was no way she'd tell him what it was. First she would need to actually get the gift and that would be a challenge all on its own.  
  
"Heh, no, you're right. I haven't. So, you've got any Christmas wishes?"   
  
"I honestly don't know." She admitted softly. "Right now I'm just happy we're safe."  
  
"You know what?" He moved closer to her and threw his arm around her shoulders. "I completely agree with you."  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Hiruzen sighed as he droped the last page on the stack of papers in front of him. He was finally done. Now, on to more important matters, or more interesting matters, he should say. The constant paperwork was going to be the death of him so whenever he could do something different, he was all for it. In this case Inoichi had requested a meeting with himself and Shikaku, so it was probably best to get that sorted sooner than later. Yes, he told himself with a sly smile. This couldn't possibly wait. He'd been wanting to discuss the memory they had witnessed of Hermione further. Hiruzen still couldn't wrap his mind around something like a pensieve existing. This magical world they spoke of contained some very interesting things. Then again, it seemed both Sirius and Hermione also were capable of interesting things. There really wasn't another way of explaining it other than it being some sort of bloodline limit. Only then spread out over quite a few different families. He wondered if it was something a shinobi could learn.   
  
A soft but firm knock was heard. "Come in." He called in response as he moved his paperwork to the side.   
  
"Hokage-sama."  
  
"Ah, Shikaku, Inoichi. Right on time. Sit, we have a lot to discuss."  
  
The pair sat down, making themselves comfortable as Hiruzen asked the necessary questions to see where they were with dissecting the information learned from the memories. It saddened him that it had come to this, to learn his long-time friend had fallen so low as to kidnap someone. Of course, while they had a lot of information, they still lacked an answer to one of the more important questions. Why? Why did he do it? Unfortunately, knowing Danzo, there was a very good chance they'll never learn what his reasons were. These past few weeks he'd been able to keep Danzo on house arrest. The only contact the man had were Anbu operatives he had handpicked personally, because you couldn't be too careful.   
  
All the Root operatives were in lock down as well, at another location, away from Danzo. Up until now all the information gathering was done without having any contact with his old friend, simply because he couldn't be sure what to believe. He needed proof, first, before engaging in a conversation with the man. They would soon have to get Ibiki on this as well. But, until that moment, they'd have to get everything in order. Hermione's memories have been a great help, immensely so, seeing as it was not something she could lie about, or so both she and Sirius had said. Team Ro's report on rescuing Hermione helped fill in the gaps as well. Frankly they never had such an ironclad case regarding a kidnapping before.   
  
"Is there anything else we need before we bring Ibiki in?"   
  
"I only have one concern," Shikaku replied. "While we've got all the information we need regarding the act of the kidnapping, I worry about the fact Hermione was able to tamper with the memories of the Root agent. And I by no means mean to accuse her, but I just can't help but wonder.. What's to say she hasn't done the same to any of us?"  
  
"Hm. You make a fair point. Inoichi?" Hiruzen turned to the blonde haired man.   
  
"Honestly, I'd like to think we'd know if something like that had happened, but you're right. We can't be sure." Inoichi said. "What I do know, however, is what I've learned the past months. If that were the case, she could've made us believe anything she wanted. She could've easily made us believe that she was no threat at all. But she didn't. She's been incredibly truthful to us, more than I had expected. And while she's left out details regarding her past when we spoke, she's never outright lied to me. And in any case, the Root agent wasn't aware she could do magic, we were. If she even made a move to point the wand at us, we'd know and stop her."  
  
"You're biased, Inoichi." Shikaku commented. "You love the girl like she's family."  
  
"Which she is. I wouldn't have accepted her into my home, into my clan, if I had a sliver of doubt, I'd have arranged another place for her to stay. I trust her, Hokage-sama. And I trust her word." Inoichi paused for a moment. "Also, we should bring that Root agent in. Check his mind. If we can discern what she's changed, maybe we'll be able to use that to check if she did the same to someone else."  
  
Inoichi saying that, said a lot in this case. The man wouldn't just accept her into his home if he didn't trust her. He also made a good point regarding that Root agent. Still..   
  
"While I appreciate you saying that, I'd still want Ibiki to speak with her. We need to make sure." It was very clear Inoichi didn't like that idea at all, but also knew better than to go against his word. He gave him a nod, but looked grim. "Good. Arrange that meeting. Also make sure we find that specific agent to check his mind, although I doubt we'd be able to find anything. I'd rather have that done sooner than later. If she passes the inspection, we can start working on the other issues. That was all for now."  
  
"Yes sir." Both Shikaku and Inoichi responded as they got up. Shikaku lingered as Inoichi left the office, heading to T&I.   
  
"Yes?" Hiruzen asked when Shikaku didn't say anything.   
  
"What about the other one? Black?" Sometimes he wished he knew what was going on in the Jonin-Commander's mind. Then again, it wasn't just sometimes.   
  
"You don't trust him?"   
  
The Nara shrugged. "I don't know him. And I don't trust those I don't know."  
  
"Here," Hiruzen held out a scroll. It was the exact same scroll Sirius Black had handed over when they first met. The one with Jiraiya's seal.   
  
"Jiraiya?"   
  
"Check the authenticity of that seal. If it pans out, he's alright for now. Unless he messed with Jiraiya's mind as well, but we won't know that unless he comes here. And that might be a while."  
  
"I'll have this looked at. I'll let you know once we know for certain."  
  
"Very well. Dismissed."  
  
With a nod Shikaku put the scroll in his pocket and left the room. Hiruzen sat back in his chair and turned it towards the window. This wasn't what he had hoped how the meeting would go. Pointing the blame at Hermione felt wrong, somehow. Yet, to anyone else it was simple. An outsider, someone who was technically on probation had no voice, especially not if they accused someone like Danzo. Without an ironclad defense, Danzo would win any trial they threw his way. And while he knew the man incredibly long and has trusted the man just as long, he'd be a fool to ignore all the signs everyone had been ignoring.   
  
Reaching back, he opened the drawer of his desk and pulled out a single file and opened it in his lap. It wasn't a thick file by any means. Hell, it wasn't more than two pages, but the information it held was incredibly important. It held all the information they had collected of the time where Danzo had ordered his operatives to assassinate him. If he hadn't stumbled across Kakashi going through his files, he wasn't sure what would have happened. Of course, the Sandaime wouldn't have gone down without a fight. But it was clear what Danzo's intentions had been, especially after he had found the man in his chair in this office.   
  
Speaking of Kakashi, he turned back as the teen appeared in his office. He looked tired, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to rest just yet. With a nod, he prompted the Anbu to start his report.   
  
"I know you just got back," Hiruzen said once the silver-haired teen finished his verbal report. He was glad the teen's previous mission had gone smoothly, especially since it had been young Itachi's first assassination mission. Not that he was worried, but he'd rather not become the focus of the Uchiha's wrath if something went wrong, even if they did push Itachi to become an Anbu. "Unfortunately this cannot wait. It shouldn't take longer than two days, which means you'll be able to join the meeting we had planned. Take Raven. The mission starts immediately. Dismissed."   
  
"Yes sir." He watched as Kakashi took the scroll from his hand and bowed. Without another word he jumped from the window, making the Hokage sigh. One of these days he would make the teen stop using his window and start using his door instead. Maybe. He doubted it.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Going to the park had been just what Hermione needed. Ino ran off as soon as she saw her friends, Hermione recognized two of them from the Akimichi and Nara families, and a few other kids. There was a dark-haired boy that reminded her of Itachi and she thought back if he ever mentioned having a little brother. They were joined by another boy, carrying a small pup. To the side, she noticed two other kids, both looking fairly shy by how they held themselves. Or maybe not shy, maybe just uncomfortable being with other people? She wasn't sure. It was interesting to see the kids interact with each other, each of them clearly of different families. From the corner of her eye, she spotted another child. He seemed to hold himself back, out of view of the children, yet she easily spotted him from where she stood.   
  
She wasn't sure how, but the kid reminded her of Harry. Not how he looked, Merlin, they couldn't be more different. While Harry had his black hair, this boy had sunny-blonde hair. Harry was a bit pale, but this kid definitely wasn't, no doubt spending a lot outside. No, it wasn't their looks. It was the way they held themselves. Defensive. No, not just defensive. Abused. Didn't anyone else see this?   
  
A happy squeal brought her out of her musings, turning her focus on Teddy. He was still way too young to be playing with those other kids, so he'd have to make due and play by himself for the time being, so she put him down in the sandbox close to some benches where they decided to sit down. From here, they could keep an eye on both Teddy and Ino. And the little boy, she reminded herself. But when she looked back to where he had been standing, she noticed he was gone.   
  
Hermione was pleasantly surprised to see Sirius joining Teddy in the sandbox, helping him build a sandcastle. The sand, she knew, had been too soft to actually do that, but she had seen Sirius mutter a soft ' _ Aguamenti'  _ to create enough moisture to help them.   
  
_ "He's growing fast, isn't he?"  _ Inoichi commented as he suddenly appeared in front of them. Hermione tried her hardest not to flinch but knew she had failed as she saw Inoichi flash her an apologetic smile.   
  
_ "He is."  _ She said as she looked back.  _ "Too fast, if you ask me."  
  
_ _ "That's normal, dear."  _ Inoichi's wife commented.  _ "We felt the same about Ino-chan. I swear it was yesterday when she was still crawling around the house."  
  
_ _ "Mhm, yeah."  _ Hermione agreed.  _ "I mean, before you know it, she'll start dating."  _ She joked, knowing Inoichi dreaded that day. He had told her about his fears of Ino growing up, secretly wanting her to never grow up, sometimes.  
  
_ "That's never going to happen."  _ Inoichi said flatly.  
  
She let out a laugh at that.  _ "Yeah, I hate to break it to you, but it's gonna happen. She has a way of wrapping people around her fingers. Like you, for example."  
  
_ _ "She doesn't have-"   
  
_ _ "Actually, dear, she does."  _ His wife commented, looking amused.  _ "She definitely does. You can't say no to her.   
  
_ Hermione giggled at the sight of Inoichi opening and closing his mouth a couple of times, making him look like a fish. A confused fish, even. For someone in his line of work, it's surprising how easily he fell for Ino's charms. Then again, the little girl knew how to play her father very well.   
  
"Mama, look!" Teddy had wobbled over to her, holding something in his hands. Something that clearly was made by Sirius, but the boy acted like he found a treasure so who was she to ruin that for him?   
  
"That's very beautiful! What is it?" Hermione asked.   
  
"Padda says it's a sheshell!"   
  
"A seashell?" She said, kindly correcting him. "How wonderful!" She exclaimed.   
  
"For you, mama!" He said as he carefully handed the shell over to her.   
  
"Oh, I'll definitely treasure it, thank you so much!" Leaning over, she pressed a kiss against his temple, before picking him up and placing him on her lap. Holding the shell in front of him, both of them fiddled with it, admiring the beautiful shell.   
  
_ "Whatcha got there?"  _ Ino asked as she peeked in their lap, she took a sip of her juice box as she curiously studied the item.   
  
"Mama?" Teddy asked as he looked up.   
  
Hermione hesitated, not sure of the proper translation either. "Ah, I'm not sure. Inoichi? What's a seashell called in your language?"   
  
"That would be  _ seashell _ ."  
  
Giving him a smile in thanks, she told Teddy what the word was, as he tried to form it as well. She was incredibly appreciative and proud that Ino patiently waited for Teddy to say the word as best as he could, going as far as applauding when he almost got it. There was a flash from the corner of her eye, causing her to look up. Sirius grinned at her and gave her a wink before walking over as well.   
  
_ "Hermione, do you have a moment?"  _ Inoichi asked, making her look up to him.   
  
_ "Oh, sure, I actually needed to talk to you too. _ In English, if possible. _ "  _ She added. Handing Teddy over to Sirius, she got up and followed Inoichi making sure they weren't in hearing range of the others.   
  
"What did you want to talk about?" Inochii started, switching to English as well.   
  
"Well, I actually have a question."  
  
"I have an answer, hopefully." Inoichi said with a smile.  
  
"Funny," she replied with a roll of her eyes. "I was wondering if there was a possibility of me and Sirius getting access to a place where we can practice?"  
  
"Practice?"   
  
"Yes."  
  
He narrowed his eyes a little. "Practice what, exactly?"   
  
"Well, my magic of course." Hermione said, because really, wasn't it obvious? "I don't need to work out like you guys, but I do actually need to practice to get better. Magic isn't something you can just use without knowing what you're doing."  
  
"Right. Well, it's not up to me to arrange such a space for you.." Inoichi said hesitantly, "But I suppose I can submit the request directly to the Hokage, to see what's possible."  
  
Hermione put her hands together in front of her, "great!" She said with a smile forming in her lips.   
  
"This doesn't mean you'll be able to get it, though." He warned.   
  
"That's alright. The fact that you're willing to ask already means a lot to me." Hermione knew that what she was asking wasn't something easily approved. She understood that in a military place like Konoha wouldn't just allow random people to train.   
  
He gave her a smile and a nod before his face turned serious. "Now, about the thing I needed to talk to you about." Hermione cocked her head in question. "The Hokage ordered that you be questioned by one of the interrogators regarding something that was shown in your memory."  
  
"W-what? Why?" She stammered as she frowned in confusion. She didn't know what was happening. She'd been truthful about everything! How could they not believe her? "I didn't lie, Inoichi. I-"   
  
"Hermione, calm down, please." He urged. "It's not as bad as it sounds."  
  
"Not as bad?" Hermione almost shrieked. "You just told me that I'm going to be interrogated!"   
  
The man let out a sigh, "I know. But I still need you to calm down." She flinched as he put a hand on her shoulder, in comfort kom doubt, yet it didn't feel that way. Hermione should've expected this, especially in a village like this. Trust was earned, sure. But in this village it took quite a lot of effort to earn even a sliver of trust. Her face hardened at that thought. As long as they realised it worked both ways. She wouldn't forget this. "There were some concerns on our side at something we've seen." Inoichi continued, oblivious to her thoughts. "Anyways, it's best I take you there straight away. It won't take long."   
  
Hermione turned her head towards Sirius and Teddy. Sirius had a calculated look on his face, a moment later she felt him enter her mind, which she didn't fight.   
  
**"Are you alright, love?"  
  
** **"He's saying they need to question me, about the memory I showed them."** She replied quickly in her mind.  **"I don't know how bad this will get, but if I don't return… Take Teddy and go."  
  
** **"Hermione-"** Sirius shifted Teddy in his arms, ready to jump up.   
  
**"Don't. I'll be fine. Just take care of him?"** Hermione pleaded.  
  
**"You don't need to ask. You know I will."** He promised and with a nod he left her mind, ending their connection. Hermione hoped that Inoichi hadn't noticed their exchange, but she had doubts that they were that lucky. There wasn't a lot that he missed.   
  
"Fine," she replied, turning back to Inoichi. "Let's get it over with."  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Kakashi frowned at the onslaught of emotions filling him all at once. With him still in the village, the connection of his bond with Hermione was that much more intense. It made him wonder if it would always be this intense, even after they, well, consummated the bond. Even after all the information he'd gathered from Hermione and Sirius, he still felt like there was so much more to it.   
  
"Everything alright, senpai?" Itachi asked as he appeared next to him. They'd been staking out the T&I building at the moment. Honestly, after the Hokage had given him the mission an hour ago they'd each been to six different locations already.   
  
"Hm? Yes, everything's fine. What did you find?" He watched as the kid reached into his pouch and gave him a small piece of paper. Damn, the kid even had perfect penmanship, because of course he had. Was there anything the kid couldn't do?   
  
"I noted down the people they met together and separately. It's logged with the time and location. So far I can't discern what it could all mean, other than it doesn't really seem to have anything to do with their actual duties, from what I understood."  
  
Looking through the notes, Kakashi nodded along with the report Itachi gave him. He was right. It didn't make sense for them to meet these people. So what were they up to?   
  
"Good work." He said as he burned the piece of paper, its contents already memorized due to the help of his Sharingan. "Now, how do you feel about a game of hide and seek?" He joked.   
  
He smiled in amusement at the confusion Itachi showed by cocking his head. "Hide and seek?"   
  
Kakashi chuckled, "well, maybe not exactly like hide and seek. More like, don't be seen while you gather more information."   
  
"So basically you're asking me to do my job?"   
  
"Basically, yes." He chuckled again at Itachi shaking his head and almost felt sorry for the kid. Usually he joked with Tenzou, at his expense more often than not, but he'd have to make due with Itachi.   
  
"Senpai? I don't mean to pry but why would Hermione-san need to go to T&I?"   
  
What? Following his gaze, he blinked as he watched Inoichi guide Hermione towards the T&I building. Why would she need to go there? Did this have to do with the barrage of emotions he felt earlier? Kakashi shifted his stance as he watched her closely. She seemed… off. His gaze automatically shifted to her left arm as she moved her right hand to hold on to the underside of her arm.  _ Right where her scar is.  _ Suddenly he was back to that day where he took her inside that same building. With her freaking out about being interrogated. Scared that it would turn into torture.   
  
_ Shit.  _ Damn it. He couldn't do anything, not now. He was on a mission after all. Kakashi would keep an eye on the building for now, make sure she got out alright. Because he didn't like this. Why wasn't he told this? Usually he was kept up to date about everything regarding Hermione.   
  
"I don't know." He told Itachi. "It doesn't matter. I'll keep investigating the disappearance of the captives. You keep tracking Utatane-sama and Mitokado-sama."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Good. Let's meet back at the facility at nine."  
  
With a nod, Itachi left, leaving Kakashi to his musings. Shaking his head he stood back up from his crouch and jumped down. He needed to focus on his mission and figure out how those Death Eaters managed to get out without anyone knowing it. He knew they still had all their belongings, just not… Them.   
  
Making sure his hood was drawn, he made his way inside the building, swiftly navigating through the corridors. He'd need to check the security footage first. Maybe that would give him some clue as to what happened to the three prisoners. Well, four if you count the man he killed before rescuing Hermione. Knowing what he did now, he really wished he would've made him suffer rather than ending his life so abruptly. He hadn't deserved a swift death. And he was going to make sure that once he found the others, they weren't getting one either.   
  
As he entered the room, he was pleased to note he was the only one there. Good. Saved him time of thinking of a lie why he would be there. Kakashi moved to the cabinet that held all the recordings of the past year, easily cracking the code that sealed them behind those doors.   
  
He heard a door open on one of the cameras, followed by a gruff voice saying "Granger-san, thank you for waiting. Or I should call you Yamanaka-san now." The man corrected himself. His eyes widened as he turned around, easily finding the screen that showed the correct interrogation room. "My name is Morino Ibiki, I'll be leading this interrogation." Wait. She was being interrogated?  
  
"It's not like you gave me a choice." Hermione retorted angrily.   
  
"I understand this wasn't something on your to-do list today, but this isn't up to you. You will answer my questions and if the answers satisfy me, you'll be out of here before you know it." Ibiki commented as he sat down.   
  
"And if my answers aren't to your satisfaction?" Hermione challenged as she crossed her arms. Kakashi's eyebrows rose as he heard her say that. Never in his life had he heard someone speak to Ibiki like that.. And survive it. Instead, Ibiki seemed to actually be amused.   
  
"I don't think you want to go for that option, Yamanaka-san."  
  
"Do not threaten me." Hermione stated, and Kakashi swore he could see her skin glow, even on camera. "I don't care who you are, but threats don't work." She stated. "Ugh, why can't you people just ask like normal people?"   
  
Again, Kakashi felt conflicted with what he should do. He had his mission, but seeing Hermione in this situation had him itching to jump in and get her out of there. Then again, his mission came first. The mission always came first. The Hokage clearly authorized this interrogation, so he would have to trust it would turn out fine. A little hesitant he reached for the on-and-off button of the screen. After waiting another second, with his eyes on Hermione, he turned the screen off. He couldn't permit any distractions.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Inoichi frowned at the pair sitting at the other end of the one-way mirror. He'd never really seen Hermione act out like this, especially not to someone who was basically in charge of deciding her fate.   
  
"So, tell me about this mind altering ability of yours."  
  
He heard Hermione groan. " _ That's  _ what this is about?"   
  
Ibiki leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table as he rested his chin on his intertwined fingers. "I was told you entered someone's mind, without using chakra, and altered his memory. I just want to know if you did that to someone other than that person."  
  
"No. I didn't! Merlin, it takes a certain amount of skill to do something like that without messing up the mind!" That was something Inoichi definitely agreed on. The mind was a vulnerable, fickle thing and one wrong move could easily destroy it.   
  
"Yet you did it. Successfully."  
  
Hermione shook her head vehemently at that accusation. "No, I didn't! It was quite clear he noticed something was off, because I never saw him again."  
  
Ibiki didn't blink as he continued. "And you're saying you never did anything like that before?"   
  
"No."   
  
Inoichi watched as Ibiki's eyes narrowed as he took Hermione in. "You're lying." Ibiki stated. Shifting his gaze to Hermione, Inoichi noticed the clear signs of someone telling a lie. So she  _ had _ altered someone's memories before? When? And most importantly, who?   
  
He watched as Hermione stared Ibiki down, shifting on his feet, anxiously waiting for her response.   
  
"Yes and no." She said slowly. "Yes, I have altered someone's memories before." Hermione admitted softly. "No, other than that shinobi, I haven't done so since I arrived here."  
  
Again, Ibiki kept his gaze on Hermione, reading her body language. A few, very long, moments later, he sagged in his chair and cocked his head. "I believe you."  
  
"Y-you do?"   
  
Inoichi watched as he gave Hermione a rare smile. "Yes. Please excuse me, Yamakana-san. I need to inform.. Yamanaka-san of this." He said almost awkwardly.   
  
Hermione raised an eyebrow at that. "Why? He's been on the other side of that wall the entire time. I think he knows."  
  
"Oh? And why do you think that?"   
  
"I had a feeling." She said with a small, sad, smile, causing the man to chuckle.   
  
"Fair enough. I still need to speak with him. I'll be back in a moment." Ibiki stood up and left the room. A short moment later, the door next to Inoichi opened, causing him to turn to the scarred man.   
  
"So, she's telling the truth. You're sure?"   
  
Ibiki snorted at that. "Am I ever not sure?"   
  
"No, I suppose not." He conceded. "I'm just surprised you accepted it so easily."  
  
Ibiki hummed as he turned to watch Hermione through the glass. "She's been hurt before. Tortured before." He said. It wasn't a question.  
  
"I know. She briefly told me about it. I'm surprised you picked up on that as well." Because really, she hid it well. While Inoichi had known something was wrong, he blamed it on all the events happening to her from the moment she got her. Frankly, all of that was traumatizing enough.   
  
"It's not hard to see that she's traumatized, Inoichi-senpai." Ibiki commented. "It makes me concerned, thinking about her mental state. There's not a lot more she will be able to take, if things keep happening like that."  
  
"You're right. I've been having these talks with her, getting her to open up bit by bit, to help her work through that. So don't worry about it."  
  
"I hate to be the one to tell you this, sir. But she feels betrayed by you. That'll be quite a setback to overcome." He commented, and if Inoichi was being honest, that stung. But he wasn't unaware of the situation. Hermione had been genuinely hurt by this situation and for the first time in a long time, Inoichi didn't feel comfortable following an order made by the Hokage. He hadn't been lying when he said he trusted Hermione. He just feared this close to nullified her trust in him. "Anyways, it's food for thought. If you excuse me, I have some other things I need to talk to her about."   
  
With a nod in his direction, Ibiki left the room to enter the interrogation room once again. Inoichi hummed to himself as he kept his eyes on the teen in front of him. Yeah, this would be more difficult to fix than he'd had initially expected. With a shake of his head he left to report Ibiki's findings to the Hokage. He'll worry about young Hermione later. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think! I love reading your thoughts on this, some even inspire me to write :D
> 
> Until next time!


	45. Being Watched

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies! 
> 
> What's this? A chapter after two months?! That's right! I'm still alive!
> 
> I am _so sorry_ for disappearing on you guys, but life has been hectic. I won't bore you with the details but with everything going on, I had been really struggling to finish the chapter. I wanted to give you a long one, as a Christmas special (guess who's too late for that one, eh? xD) and then it kind of became a chore instead of something fun, which killed any motivation I had. And then 2021 happened and the world turned to shit a bit more. Well, let's hope that it'll get better this year!
> 
> I also want to give everyone who read this story and left a kudo and a comment a huge thanks! Knowing my story was still being read, even while being absent, helped a lot <3.  
> Hopefully, now I'll be able to see it as something fun again and not something I have to do, so I can continue to write more! :D
> 
> Well, enough nagging. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter <3

**Chapter 45: Being Watched  
**  
  
The door to the main T&I building was opened for Hermione and soon she found herself back into the fresh air.   
  
_"So,"_ the man next to her said. _"What will you do now?"_   
  
She turned her head to look at Ibiki, who was side eyeing her. Shaking her head, she wrapped her arms around her. _"Honestly, I don't know."_ Hermione admitted. _"While I genuinely appreciate your efforts during our.. Appointment."_ As she said that, she heard Ibiki snort, making her roll her eyes at her own downplayed description of the interrogation. _"I can't shake off the feeling of distrust. Surely you understand?"  
  
_ _"Hm, I don't think I'm the right person to ask that."_ He mused.   
  
_"No, I suppose you're not."_ She agreed. _"I think I'm just gonna go. Unless.."  
  
_ _"You're free to go,"_ he said jokingly. _"Just don't leave town. We might have some further questions for you."  
  
_ This time it was Hermione that snorted in response. _"Anyone ever told you that your sense of humor sucks?"  
  
_ _"No, but that could be because they're too scared to say so."  
  
_ _"Yeah, I don't get that."_ Hermione commented while shrugging. _"You're not scary at all. At least, not to me. I mean, you've never met.."_ Mad-eye Moody, she wanted to say. While he wasn't necessarily scary, he _was_ intimidating. There was a reason he was a damn good Auror. And she really didn't feel like that with Ibiki, strangely enough. " _Nevermind. You're just.."_ Hermione paused to think of a right way to describe him. She smirked as she thought of. _"You're a big softie."_ She concluded.   
  
_"Excuse me?! Watch what you say, Yamanaka. I am_ not _soft."  
  
_ The scarred man tried to sound like he was threatening, maybe. Not that it worked. Hermione chuckled at him. _"Sure, sure. Whatever you say."_ She said, waving her hand up and down. She wasn’t convinced of that, at all.  
  
He hummed. _"I've got some advice for you."_ He then said. Without waiting for a response from her, he continued. _"Take some time. Gather your thoughts. But, most importantly, try to see it from Inoichi-senpai's point of view. And try to see the bigger picture."  
  
_ Hermione bit her tongue to stop herself from interrupting him, her good mood dissipating. When she didn't respond, he just sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. She refused to meet his gaze and when she didn't, he simply gave her shoulder a squeeze and went back inside the building.   
  
Switching from biting her tongue, to biting her lip, Hermione thought about what she should do. Thinking about Inoichi only filled her with anger. Logically she knew that Inoichi probably didn't have a choice. She _knew_ that. She just couldn't help but feel betrayed by someone she trusted. Someone she felt she could confide in when she was lost in a place she didn't belong. And she still didn't belong, today was definitely proof of that. She just wondered, would she ever? Belong here? Hermione thought she was positive that she could. Now she wasn't so sure anymore. Maybe she should talk to Sirius. He'd been here longer, surely he could give her some insight about the workings of this world. Nodding to herself, she decided to make her way to Kakashi's house. Something told her he went there after the trip to the park. With a small smile she had a feeling that she might run into Kakashi again. And she knew to never not trust her own gut.  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
A big softie? That was something he'd never expected someone to call Morino Ibiki of all people. Kakashi watched Hermione from behind his Anbu mask as he sat perched on the roof of the T&I building. He'd gotten what he needed from the video-archives as he tried his best not to turn on the screen that would show him the interrogation between Hermione and Ibiki. He had to keep telling himself that the Hokage knew what he was doing, even if he wasn't informed of this. Yet.. He also knew Hermione. Quite well, if he said so himself. And nothing warranted her being interrogated, not like this. Then again, there was the issue of them being bonded, so he knew he might not be completely biased when it came to her.   
  
Kakashi's eyes followed Hermione as she walked away, debating whether or not he should make his presence known to her. He really shouldn't. Technically he was still on his mission, and he needed to meet Itachi later. There was no time for personal stuff when on a mission, no matter what kind of mission it was. Stuck in his head, he didn't notice Hermione pause a few yards down.  
  
"Are you going to stay up there, or will you walk with me?"  
  
Wondering who she was speaking to, he turned his head and was surprised that she was looking at him. That- how? She shouldn't have been able to know where he was. He was out of sight, even had his chakra signature hidden. Hell, even Ibiki hadn't sensed him and the guy had sharp senses. He actually found himself stupidly looking behind him, but no, he was the only one there.   
  
His ears picked up the telltale sign of her teleportation jutsu-spell, whatever it was. Quickly turning back, he was able to hold back his reflexes as she had appeared closer than he had expected her to. It would still take some time getting used to that ability of hers.  
  
"Hi." She said softly, with a small smile.   
  
"Hi." Kakashi repeated just as softly, barely audible even. He was glad to have her this close again, even though he knew he shouldn't, especially not in his Anbu-gear. But something was off. _She_ was off. Opening his left eye, he let his Sharingan take her in from top to toe. He frowned when he couldn’t find anything. She looked fine. So why did she seem off?  
  
"You didn't answer my question." She said. "Will you walk with me?"   
  
He wanted to. Damn it, he _really_ wanted to. But he couldn't right now. Kakashi would have to do with just seeing her for now. Softly shaking his head he watched as her shoulders sagged a little, the smile disappearing from her lips.   
  
"Right. That's alright. You're working now, anyways, aren't you? When do you get off?"   
  
Kakashi tilted his head as he looked up, calculating the hours and figuring out how early he could get off without anyone whining about it. He had to meet Itachi at nine to discuss their findings, that would take an hour tops and he was sure he could end it early.. Technically their mission wasn't done yet after that, but it couldn't hurt to call it a night. He could put Pakkun on the night shift. Hm, yeah. That could work. "I'll be home at ten." He said, voice still low.   
  
"Alright." Hermione responded as she smiled again - _even her smile was off_ \- before looking away. "I'll see you then. Bye."  
  
Giving her a nod in affirmation even though her actions confused him, the entire way she was acting confused him at this point, he watched her turn and step towards the edge of the roof. Turning her head back, she gave him a nod too and a second later she was back in the ground, with the same popping sound as before. He didn't linger to watch her leave, he didn't think he had the restraint to stay away from her if he did.  
  
Quickly scanning his surroundings, he left for the Hokage Tower. He had a feeling he could get some information out of their offices. And if Itachi's information was correct, which he had learned to assume it was, they wouldn't be in. Perfect time to snoop around a little. Making his way towards the Hokage Tower, he quickly scanned the vicinity and easily pinpointed the several Anbu stationed around the Tower. While he knew that both Homura and Koharu had guards around their offices for protection, especially now, it didn't make sense that they were still there when the both of them weren’t. Those should be with them, not guarding an empty office. Which made Kakashi wonder.. What were they guarding, if not the elders?   
  
"I thought I was supposed to do this?" Itachi said as he appeared next to him.   
  
"Maa, I hit a snag." Kakashi replied with a shrug. "I figured it couldn't hurt to check this out. What about you?"   
  
"They went somewhere I can't follow without being spotted, but I left a clone nearby just in case."  
  
Kakashi hummed before turning back to the offices. "I don't suppose you know anything about what the guards could be guarding?" It was a rhetorical question of course, and Itachi figured that out at least, since he didn't respond. "Well, in any case. We need to get into that office. Frankly, they seem off either way. So it can't hurt to check them either."  
  
Itachi stood up and Kakashi felt a tiny spike in his chakra as he turned his Sharingan on. Sometimes he wished he could do the same, instead of just keeping his left eye closed to save using up his chakra. A second later they both moved towards the Anbu guarding the office. The men were no match for them, as they slumped to the floor. With a few quick gestures he told Itachi to go ahead into the office to investigate while he checked the unconscious nin. Shit. He knew them, he realised. From his time at Root. Not that he knew who they were, exactly.. but he did know them. Why were Danzo's men guarding the elder's office? Were they more involved than they realised? He knew they couldn’t be regular Anbu.   
  
"Captain?" Itachi called. "I found something."  
  
Leaving the nin on the floor, having found nothing useful on their person besides their identity, he stepped around them and joined Itachi in the office. He was holding a folder and held it out to him as he grabbed another one. Opening it, his eyes widened as he stared at himself next to Hermione. Fuck. They'd been spying on him? Wait, no. Not him, necessarily. Hermione. The entire file consisted of pictures of her. Hermione with Teddy, Inoichi, even Genma. Most of these pictures had been taken before she was kidnapped, but a few were taken after that event. One or two even had Sirius in them. Which meant only one thing. They were _still_ watching her.   
  
Next to him, Itachi kept scanning the other folders until he paused, causing Kakashi to look at him. Glancing over his shoulder, he held back a sigh at the subject matter of that file. The Uchiha. Only this case was known to him. Ever since the Kyuubi attack, the Anbu have been watching the Uchiha for any and all suspicious movements. Kakashi didn't say a word as he plucked the file from his hands, quickly scanning its contents. Itachi didn't respond as he simply went back to the cabinet, looking at the other folders. Now, that wasn't right, Kakashi thought. This file went further than just mere speculations. It stated different kinds of accusations which he knew hadn't been proven at all.   
  
"They…" Itachi started softly. If Kakashi didn’t know better, he’d say Itachi sounded taken aback.   
  
"Hm?" After not getting a response, he looked back up again and saw him stand there, frozen in his tracks. "Raven?"   
  
"They were planning on taking me?" In the time that Kakashi had worked with Itachi, he hadn't heard him sound so confused. "And Shisui. And… Sasuke?"   
  
Placing the Uchiha file down, he again took the folder from Itachi's hands, noticing the secret compartment Itachi had found where this file no doubt came from. This was a _much_ thicker file. On each page was a picture of a kid, some he recognized, most he didn't. Surprisingly enough, all of them were Uchiha. Closing the folder, he checked the tag, and sure enough, it was actually tagged with their clan symbol. Looking back at the content, his eyebrows raised even further in surprise. As Itachi had said, his picture was in there too, but with an 'x' through his picture. The same with Shisui. Both of them had a symbol next to their names. Shisui even had an extra one. What did this mean? Most disturbingly was that Sasuke's picture didn't have an 'x', meaning he was still on their list, whatever that meant. His part also lacked any markings. Browsing through the rest of the pages, he noticed more kids, some had a marking on them, some didn't.   
  
Kakashi placed the Uchiha folder on top of the other two and reached towards another file, this one showed a couple of clan symbols. Opening it, he was once again met with different pictures of kids. This really wasn't good. "Change of plans, Raven. We need to see the Hokage. Immediately. Take out all the folders. He needs to see this."   
  
Itachi did as ordered and took out the entire stack of folders, not leaving any behind. Taking out a scroll, he quickly sealed the stack of folders inside. They couldn't be too careful with this. He had a feeling he knew what this meant. But with Danzo, one could never be too careful. What he didn't understand was why all this information was here. One would think that this information shouldn't be as easily accessible as it was. While it had been in a secret compartment, it was ridiculously easy to find. It had to be some kind of trap, he figured, but then.. this information was too valuable to leave behind. Most kids in the files were older now, but quite a few of them weren't. It looked like it had been updated recently. And if this meant they were in danger, they had to do their best to protect them.   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Sirius lounged on the couch of Kakashi's home as he watched Teddy crawl around the living room. Every once in a while the boy tried to stand up to walk a few steps, before falling on his bum again, making Sirius smirk. Before long the kid would be running around instead of crawling, so he just let the boy figure it out for himself. He knew the kid was smart enough. It would definitely save them from carrying him all the time, he was getting quite heavy.   
  
Shortly after Hermione was escorted to get questioned, he had thanked Inoichi's wife for the company but had decided to go back to his house, to spend some alone time with the boy while awaiting Hermione’s return. In reality, he had apparated to their home with Teddy and swiftly packed any and all of Hermione's and Teddy's belongings, the essential bits anyways. He couldn't be sure they would need to take such a dramatic approach but if she wasn't coming back, he would need to bust her out and leave. He wasn't going to leave her locked up, he owed her that much at least.   
  
It'd been an hour or two later, when Hermione knocked on the door. She flashed him a tired smile as he let her in. "The brat's not here," he said. He knew that wasn’t why she came here, necessarily but he still felt the need to point it out. If only to let her know they wouldn’t have to deal with eavesdroppers.  
  
"No, I know. I ran into him on my way here, but he was still working. Said he'd be back at around ten tonight." She said as she took off her jacket and flopped down on the couch.   
  
"So, what did they want to know?" He asked carefully. He still wasn't sure what had happened, but she seemed fine, if not a bit off. Then again, he couldn’t blame her for acting a bit off, she must’ve been terrified.  
  
"They had concerns about the memory charm I used on one of those guys when I was kidnapped. Wondered if I had done the same to them without them knowing." She ran her hand through her hair, messing her curls up even more. "Honestly, I'm quite cross with them. No, scratch that. I'm pretty much _done_ with shinobi. All that distrust, even after all this time." She started as her voice raised more and more with every word that came out of her mouth. "I never lied to them! Not once! I mean, sure, I didn't tell them everything from the start, but whenever they asked me something, I was always truthful. And what do I get? The person claiming to care for me and Teddy just pretty much sent me off like a pig for slaughter!" She roared angrily.   
  
“While I love seeing you get pissed off for once, love, I think you’re scaring little Teddy over there.” He pointed out, not sure how to deal with an angry Hermione. “Just- You know what? I’ll handle this. Stay here, I'll be right back." He stood up, stopping Hermione from continuing her rambling.   
  
"Wha- where are you going?" Confusion evident in her voice. Well, at least she wasn’t shouting anymore, that was a win, right?  
  
"I'm going to give them a piece of my mind, is what I'm going to do." Sirius stated as he grabbed his jacket. "Also, it's clear you need some time away from the village, that's for sure. We'll go to Tanzaku Gai, I’ve been meaning to go back there for a bit, I have some stuff to deal with anyways."   
  
"Hold on, I don't think-"   
  
Sirius held up his hand. "Hold that thought, I'll be back in a bit." He heard Hermione call his name as he apparated away and appeared at the Hokage Tower. Now, he wasn't stupid and didn't appear right in the man's office, but that didn't stop him from barging in either way.   
  
_"What is the meaning of this?!"_ The man called out as less than a second later he was surrounded by five masked men, knives at his throat and heart.   
  
_"I'd like a moment of your time."_ He said as politely as he could, in this position, while he held up his hands.   
  
_"You cannot just barge in here, Black-san."  
  
_ _"Actually,_ sir _, you don't own me, so I can do whatever I want. Including this."_ He stated, raising an eyebrow at the masked men who now stepped back in confusion, looking at their weapons… Which were no longer weapons.   
  
_"What the-"_ One said, as he raised his hand, looking at the small bouquet of flowers now in his hands. The others held similar bouquets, all in different colours.  
  
Sirius completely ignored the baffled men, or so he assumed by their rigid stances, all the while holding back a snigger, and turned to the Hokage. _"We need to talk."  
  
_ The Hokage himself looked baffled as well, only he seemed to compose himself quicker than the rest. Looking at Sirius a moment longer, he seemed to know that Sirius wasn’t actually here to try and kill him. Looking at his guards, he muttered a soft _"dismissed,"_ causing the masked men to move away, most disappearing from sight. Only two remained, both with their hoods drawn. Sirius then noticed the other two men in the room, one of them Inoichi. Seeing him made his blood boil again. He only just managed to hold his composure as the Hokage started speaking to him.   
  
"I understand that you feel that you don't necessarily fall under my jurisdiction as a person. You're not a shinobi and I get that." He started, switching to English. His face then turned serious and Sirius had half a mind to take whatever was said next with caution. "But pull a stunt like that again and you will regret that decision. Understood?"   
  
"Sure." Sirius said, throwing caution in the wind straight away, never really one to follow the rules. Not really. What was the man going to do? It wasn't like he could hold him prisoner. "Whatever you say."   
  
_"Have some respect."_ One of the men standing at the side said.   
  
Sirius turned to look at him. He seemed like an interesting fella, the man even reminded him of Moody, strangely enough. With a raised eyebrow he responded, _"and you are?"  
  
_ _"Morino Ibiki,"_ the man responded.   
  
_"Well, Ibiki-san. Respect goes both ways. It's earned, not given. And if one disrespects someone I consider family, then you can count on it that my respect for that person is quickly diminished."  
  
_ _"You're related to Hermione-san?"_ He asked. Ah, so at least the man knew who he was speaking of. He was sharp, Sirius had to keep that in mind.  
  
He smirked at the frown on the man's face. _"Not by blood. But not all familial ties are by blood. Right, Inoichi?"  
  
_ Merlin, the man looked like someone kicked his puppy as he met Sirius' gaze. _"How is she?"_ He asked.   
  
_"How do you_ think _she is?"_ Sirius retorted.   
  
_"She seemed off when I saw her-"_ one of the masked men spoke softly, but loud enough for Sirius to hear. Strangely enough, the voice sounded familiar, even while it was muffled. Hold on-  
  
 _"What's with the mask, brat? One not enough for you?"_ Sirius rolled his eyes. He didn't actually think that that mask would stop him from recognizing the kid?   
  
_"As I was saying,"_ Kakashi continued, ignoring Sirius. _"She seemed off when I saw her, after she left the T &I building. What was she questioned about?" _He asked the Hokage. Ah, so the brat _didn't_ know?   
  
_“It’s not your concern, Hound.”_ The man, Ibiki, said. _  
_ _  
_Kakashi turned to the scarred man, _“seeing our situation I think-”_ Oh? It would seem the perfect little soldier did have an actual soft spot for Hermione.  
  
 _"There were some irregularities-"_ The Hokage started.  
  
 _  
_ _"They wanted to know if she had altered your memories, like she did with the other punk when she was in that cell."_ Sirius said, as the Hokage wasn't intending to give him the actual answer. _"They didn't trust her to not do such a thing."  
  
_ _"What? She wouldn't!"_ Kakashi exclaimed, losing his cool. Oh yeah, the brat was definitely not thinking straight when it came to Hermione.  
  
 _"And she hasn't."_ Ibiki replied. _"What she did was out of desperation. She made it quite clear that it's not easy to do and that it wasn't something the agent hadn't noticed. If she had done so with either of us, we would've known."  
  
_ _"Of course it's not easy."_ Sirius said. He scoffed at the thought. Altering one's mind took _a lot_ of skill and most of the time it didn't go as one wanted. Hermione knew that all too well. He wondered.. Would she have still done so, knowing what she knew now? " _Only someone quite skilled would be able to do such a thing and get away with it."  
  
_ _"Like you?"  
  
_ Sirius snorted. _"I wish. No, my skills lie elsewhere. Anyways, that's not important. I came here to tell you that Hermione, Teddy and I are taking a short holiday. She needs to get away from you lot for a while."  
  
_ _"While I don't appreciate your tone, Black-san."_ The Hokage spoke with a warning tone. _"I do agree with you."  
  
_ _"Wh- you do?"_ He hadn't actually expected him to agree so easily. Something was up, that's for sure. _“Why are you agreeing so easily?”  
  
_ "Damn it, Sirius." Hermione scolded him as she appeared in the office as well, Teddy in her arms. She hit his arm with her free hand, quite hard too, as she moved to stand next to him. "You do not disappear mid-conversation and I don't need you to speak for me, I'm perfectly capable of doing it myself."   
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
She couldn't believe Sirius. First he didn't even let her finish ranting and _then_ he just goes and leaves her to yell at the Hokage? Stupid, bloody, daft idiot, she cursed him mentally. Hermione rushed to get Teddy ready, because either way, she wasn't staying here. While she did appreciate Sirius for collecting her things, his explosive character made her groan. The man never did anything in halves, did he?   
  
Hoisting Teddy up, shushing him as he cried for his bear, his new favorite toy apparently, she grabbed her things and apparated to the Hokage Tower as well. While a part of her wanted to laugh at the looks of their faces as she barged in, but mostly she was seething. She was so angry, at the shinobi, at Sirius and she didn't know how to let it out.   
  
"Mama," Teddy whispered before he plopped the bear's paw back into his mouth.   
  
Taking a deep breath, she willed herself to calm down, yet was slightly surprised when she felt Kakashi help her. She hadn’t expected him to be here. Moving to look past Sirius, she noticed him in the room, along with another Anbu, Inoichi and Ibiki. _"I'm good now, Kakashi."_ She said, thanking him as well. _"Now, sir, I apologise for this daft idiot's way of speaking to you on my behalf,"_ she told the Hokage, ignoring Sirius’ fake gasp. _"However, he wasn't entirely wrong. I do need some time away from the village."_ She made a point of keeping her gaze on the leader. Truthfully, she had hoped she wouldn't have to see Inoichi again, not this soon.   
  
_"And I agree."  
  
_ _"Great."_ She learned not to look a gift horse in the mouth. _"We'll be going-"  
  
_ _"Not just yet. Have a seat, first. We need to talk."_ The man pointed at one of the chairs. When she didn't move, he added tiredly. _"Please, Hermione-san."_ Now that she thought about it, the man looked extremely tired. This yell-fest probably didn't help either. It almost made her feel guilty, until she remembered why she was angry at him too.   
  
_"Fine. But do all of them need to be here?"  
  
_ _"Not at the moment, no. Inoichi, Ibiki, you're dismissed. Raven, you too. Hound, I'll need you to stay."_ Hermione kept her eyes forward and stepped to the side of Sirius as Inoichi and Ibiki passed her. She felt Inoichi pause, but didn't say anything or look at him as he continued to walk out of the office.   
  
"Now will you sit?" She was glad he switched to English, appreciated it, too. While she knew the man was tired, so was she. Constantly speaking in another language was quite tiresome for her and after everything she started to miss her mother tongue.   
  
Sighing, she pulled back one of the chairs and plopped down unceremoniously, suddenly extremely tired as well. What she wouldn't give for a nice hot cup of tea and to curl up on the couch with a good book. She longed for a quiet evening like that. Where had the good old days gone?  
  
"I will start to say that I apologise for the way we handled this situation." _That_ got her attention. She hadn't expected him to do that. When did someone in his position ever? Hermione understood that what he had ordered was something that was probably necessary in his mind. She just hated the fact that he hadn't taken into account that she wasn't from here and wasn't used to these practices. "I admit that perhaps we should've gone about it in a different way."  
  
"You think?" Hermione scoffed, not caring she was being incredibly rude at that moment. "You could've just _asked_ me."  
  
"I appreciate that. Yet, life doesn't work that way, not here. You have to understand that that's not something we normally do to get answers. People tend to lie. Especially here. Knowledge is power, Hermione-san." He said.  
  
"Yeah, I know. It's not the first time I've heard that." She said softly. "Still, while I understand life doesn't _usually_ work like that here. I was hoping you'd at least take into account that I'm not from here."  
  
"Mhm, I should've. I agree. Which is why I apologise."  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
"Great, now that we've got that all figured out. How about we move on to the reason why we're still here and not on our way to Tanzaku Gai." Sirius said, crossing his arms as he stood next to Hermione. She needed to thank him as well for his support. Having him here really does help her feel stronger. And less small.   
  
While she expected the Hokage to speak, it was actually Kakashi who spoke. His voice was no longer muffled by his mask, causing her to blink at him surprised. She hadn’t seen him remove his white mask. "We found some information that Danzo had been watching you for a while. And.. that you're still being watched. Which is why, I assume, that it's not a bad idea for you to leave for a while." As he said that Hermione felt a small discomfort coming from him. He didn't like the idea of her leaving, then. She had to admit, she didn't like the idea of leaving him, either. But it was the lesser of two evils, as she really couldn't stand to stay here right now, either.   
  
"This is a reason for concern. If he's still able to keep eyes on you while he's detained, we need to know who's been watching you. Now, usually this means we need you here, so that we can track down whoever is following you. However, in this case, the best way to find out who's following you is for you to leave. It's a simple process of elimination then." The Hokage explained.   
  
Hermione frowned at that. "Are you sure? I mean, if I'm not here, then how will you figure out who's been watching me?"   
  
She watched as the man nodded in agreement. "Usually we wouldn't be able to. They'd just wait for you to come back. However, in this case. They're willing to risk a lot to find out more about you. They've got surveillance data and photos of you with other shinobi as well. If they're _that_ interested, there's a good chance they'll follow you once you leave." She didn't like this. At all. So, basically, they're going to be using her as bait? How would that work? Hell, how would she protect herself, without giving away the fact she knew she was being followed? Would she even know?  
  
"Which means you want us to go on foot." Sirius said. "I was planning on apparating there, but if you want them to follow us, they'll have to be able to do so."  
  
A tired sigh was heard. "Yes." From the corner of her eye, she could see the Hokage pulling a pipe out of his drawer and lighting it.   
  
"And I assume you won't be able to send someone along, just in case? Don't get me wrong, I can hold my own against you lot. But we'll be traveling with a child as well." Hermione looked at the boy in her arms, who didn't have a care in the world. If only he knew what was haunting him, what was haunting all of them.   
  
"While I'd rather send someone along with you, if we do that, they'll know we're onto them and then they won’t follow. They won’t risk it then."  
  
Honestly, the best way would be for someone to come with them in disguise. Yet, they'd be with at least one person more than expected and that wouldn't- wait a minute. "Maybe not." She said, thinking it through. It could work. No, it would work. It was brilliant, even if she did say so herself. How did she not think of this sooner?  
  
"Care to share with the class, love?" Sirius drawled.   
  
"They'd only be tipped off if there was an extra person, right? They wouldn't think twice if it were, say, a dog?" A glint appeared in Sirius' eyes as he thought about it, a smirk forming on his lips.  
  
“You mean like sending a summon along?” Kakashi asked.  
  
“No, no. Nothing like that.” Hermione shook her head, her messy curls dancing around her face, while still smiling.   
  
"Well, I have to say, I wasn't necessarily planning on getting Padfoot involved until I had a bit of fun." Sirius sighed next to her. Rolling her eyes, she swatted his arm. "What?" He said, pretending to be affronted. "You never let me have fun, 'Mione." He whined.   
  
Not even bothering to respond to him, she just gave him a look, before turning towards the Hokage and Kakashi who were, quite understandably, lost. "What if someone transforms into Sirius? I mean, you can do that, right?" If she wanted anyone to come with her, it'd be him. She hoped the Hokage would allow that.   
  
"Is that a trick question?" Kakashi tried and failed miserably to keep the snort in. Then again, Hermione didn't think he actually tried that hard. At her raised eyebrow, he sighed. "Yes. I can do that. But how would he," he nodded at Sirius. "Join us then? Or are you going to use that transportation ability of yours?"   
  
"No. He'll still join us. Just not in his human form." Hermione shrugged. Turning her gaze towards Sirius, "will you show them?"  
  
Sirius kept her gaze and she almost thought he’d say no, putting a stop to her plan. Then he looked up and sighed. "Ugh, you're lucky that I like you, 'Mione. I don't give away my secrets for just anyone." He took a step back and Hermione shifted in her seat to follow him, not wanting to miss the transformation. "Please don't freak out too much, eh?" He said with a smirk as she watched his body move and two seconds later, Sirius was gone and in his place stood a big black dog.   
  
"Padda!" Teddy called, stretching his hand over Hermione's arm, trying to pet Sirius.   
  
"That's right, bud. It's Padfoot." She cooed before smiling as Sirius stepped forward, letting the boy pat his head. Turning back to the two other men, she failed to hold in the giggle that burst out of her at their looks. Oh, this was priceless. The Hokage's jaw had dropped, pipe falling from his mouth as he looked at Sirius who had sat down so that Teddy could continue to pet him.   
  
Kakashi didn't look surprised, but he did look extremely annoyed, his twitching eyebrow was clear enough to deduct that much. "You? _You?"_ He scowled. "Pakkun knew this, didn't he. Because _of course_ he did. This all makes sense now." He said as he pinched the bridge of his nose.   
  
"What does?" What was he talking about? Had Sirius been changing into Padfoot more often?  
  
"The smell, for one. He's always smelled off. But mostly, the dog hairs. They're _everywhere._ And I know my dogs, they do not shed like that." Kakashi explained. “Not to mention all the other shit. And then there’s the actual shit. You're going to clean that up yourself. I don't care how, as long as it's clean. Got it?" Sirius yipped softly, before focusing back on Teddy, finding the boy far more interesting than the shinobi.   
  
"Anyways, this'll work?" Hermione asked. "Kakashi will be able to turn into Sirius, that way we'll have a shinobi with us. Without them knowing it’s a shinobi, right?"  
  
"I believe so. If anyone asks, Kakashi's on a mission. Maybe leave a bunshin here for the first few hours, so not to arouse suspicion." Kakashi nodded in response, while still glaring at Sirius. "Good. That'll be all for now. It's best you start packing then, no?"  
  
"Um," She looked at them sheepishly. “I'm already packed.” After all, she hadn't intended for this conversation, nor to get their permission. "But, I suppose we could all use some sleep before we leave. Especially since we're going to walk." She stood up, shifting Teddy in her arms. The boy started whining, arms outstretched towards Sirius and with a sigh she placed him on Sirius' back. "Hold on tight, okay? And Sirius, don't drop him." She warned.   
  
"Right. Safe travels, all of you." The Hokage stated with a nod. "Dismissed."  
  
  
  
-  
  
  
  
Kakashi sighed as they stepped foot in his home. To make a show for whoever was following Hermione, they walked to his house instead of using the Body Flicker jutsu, or their apparating ability. Sirius was still in his dog form, balancing the boy on his back as they made his way inside. He really should've realised what was going on with Sirius, but could anyone blame him he didn't realise the guy could transform himself into a fucking dog?   
  
He watched as the dog turned back into a man, easily catching Teddy before he fell off. Sirius then turned to them, now holding Teddy in his arms. " _I don't need to remind you how babies are made, right? Good. Keep your hands above the blankets, you two. I'm too young to be a sexy grandpa."_ Sirius said with a wink, as he started cackling. Both Hermione and Kakashi looked at him with a deadpan look. _"And if you can't help yourselves.. Hermione, remember, silencing wards aren't hard to do, but let me know if you need help. I really need my beauty sleep. Goodnight!"_ A second later, the door to the guest bedroom closed, his cackling still heard where they were still standing.   
  
_"I'm going to kill him,"_ Hermione groaned next to him.   
  
_"Well, you better be quick, because I will beat you to it, if he continues."_ He huffed, making his way towards his bedroom. Behind him, he felt Hermione follow him. Kakashi paused in the door opening. _"What are you doing?"_   
  
_"What do you mean, what am I doing?"_ She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. _"I'm going to bed. There's no way in hell I'm going to sleep with Sir- Merlin that sounds so wrong. I mean sleep in his room. And I'm not sleeping on the couch, that bloody thing is uncomfortable."_ Hermione crossed her arms in front of her chest. _"Is there a problem with this solution?"  
  
_ _"...no."_ He answered after a pause. _"I just- I'm not sure if it's a good idea, is all."_ He turned back towards his room, and went to his closet. He understood where she was coming from and in all fairness, the couch _was_ uncomfortable. But with the bond between them and the way they acted whenever they were alone, would he be able to keep his hands to himself? _“I mean, we both know what happens when we touch.”  
  
_ _"Oh grow up, Kakashi. We're not kids. I'm sure we'll be fine with sleeping in the same bed."_ She moved into the room with him and closed the door behind her. _"Besides, it's just sleep, right? It's not like I'm asking you to… y'know."_ She said, making some vague gesture with her hand.   
  
Kakashi snorted while shaking his head. Well, they'd just have to see how it would go, he thought. Grabbing a sleeveless shirt with a mask attached, he was _not_ taking any chances with Sirius, he made his way to the bathroom, giving her the privacy to change her clothes as he did the same. Once he was done changing and brushing his teeth, he found Hermione standing next to his bed, looking nervous. Was she suddenly having second thoughts?   
  
_"Um, I wasn't sure. Do you have a side you prefer to sleep on?"  
  
_ Oh. Right. _"No, I don't."_ Looking from the window to the door, _"you can take the left side."_ He said, pointing towards the one closest to the door. If anyone were to attack from the window, that would give him the most time to react. She moved the covers away to climb in.  
  
 _"Right, well. Goodnight."_ Hermione said softly as she turned away from. He was happy she was acting a bit more like herself, at least. But if she continued to act off, he would need to talk to her about it because he didn't like it one bit.  
  
 _"Night."_ Turning the light off, he moved to lie down as well, turning towards the window. Suddenly he felt hyper aware of her lying next to him. He felt her every breath, every single movement. He tried to tell himself that this was just like on a mission, but it wasn't, was it? Was she resisting the same pull he felt? Closing his eyes, he tried to calm his racing heart. They needed to sleep. It had been a fairly long and trying day for the both of them and they had a long day ahead of them as well. Shifting again to get comfortable, he heard her breath even out shortly after, falling asleep. He followed her shortly after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, that was quite eventful, wasn't it? 
> 
> Please let me know in the comments what you guys thought! I've said it before, but having some insight in what people think really helps a lot.   
> Also, if there are any questions, don't be afraid to ask them!
> 
> Until next time! (Hopefully it'll be sooner this time around :'D)


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